Hack
by ListenNatalie
Summary: CHAP. 14 UP! RiddickOFC. Another prisoner means more competition. But for who? Language, Sex, Violence. AU, PB and postPB.
1. Criminal

_**Hack**_

**Pairing:** Possible Riddick/OFC...Not sure if they should be romantic at all (I kinda like the possibility to keep people guessing). In limbo about it.

**Rating:** M – Language/Adult situations

**Need:** A Beta reader. The storyline is warped slightly. Kill me if you need to.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own _Pitch Black_ or its original characters. I do own mine, Kate Murphy.

A jolt.

My chest on the ground and I was gasping for breath as my eyes adjusted to the sudden light forced on them. A muffled voice boomed over my head and I tried to lift up to see the body. A woman, maybe about 30, blonde hair, skinny and kind of frail–looking in her large boots and grubby clothes.

"Hey, hey, girl, wake up, wake up..." she leaned down and I rolled onto my back, groaning and opening my eyes fully. Lights blinked and my cryo-chamber was destroyed, bits of plexi-glass dotting the bottom and the cords, where my hands should be, ripped from their sockets. _Must've been a serious speed bump. _

"Hey, you know computers, right? I need you in the cockpit..." the woman was now helping me up and I could see that I was a little taller than her. Fatter AND taller.

"What's the deal?" I asked, slowly following her into the room with blinking buttons and tons of screens. They all seemed to sync in red, yelling at us to do something. She guided me to a seat and plopped me down.

"Look, I know you're on probation and shit, but I need you to get this ship back on track," she said nervously, "and if you do, maybe I'll tell your officer back there to cut you some slack."

I shot her an incredulous glare. A criminal. Apparently, a mug shot and a few days in the Slam branded you a psychopath without a conscious. Granted it was the M.O. of every person in the Slam and most ended up slicing and dicing again out of the Slam, but I wasn't a murderer. All I did was fuck up a few Republic computers. I deserved a raise, not fucking handcuffs and a trip in an armored car.

"Listen, I don't need slack. I need space," I turned to her, putting on the safety belt and looking at the screen. Atmosphere breach. The ship rocked back and forth and I gripped the sides of the chair. Vitals were dropping drastically and fuel was flowing in buckets out of the tail.

"The fuel's going fast. Do you have any energy stores so that I can use them as fuel until we hit a station and get the hole fixed?"

"What? What hole?" She looked at the screen, scared, and I licked my dry lips, trying to stay calm. She was now pacing around, hands firmly gripping the arms of her own chair.

"Carolyn, I told you! We can't keep this thing out of the dirt. No prisoner with a capacity for fucking computer systems is going to help us now." My eyes darted to the jittery man in the seat behind the woman named Carolyn. Owens, his name plate read, and my eyes surveyed his face. He looked at me warily and I turned around, focusing on the machines. _Energy stores, energy stores_...pressing a hopeful button, I felt a hard push in the butt of the ship. Those were definitely the stores but we were still plummeting to the dusty ground.

"Hey, why aren't the stores working?" I yelled to Carolyn and she looked at me.

"Too much weight in the back!" she screamed back and eyed a large round button.

"NO! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!" Owens bellowed from his bolted chair and I could see Carolyn was thinking about it. Animal instinct: save yourself. I could see her dilemma. "Make the girl do it! She's already fucked for life!" Owens was screaming again, but this time I wasn't going to keep quiet.

"I'm a hacker, not a fucking murderer!" He shot me a stern look and I could see Carolyn take her finger away from the button. We were getting closer to the ground and I entered a few more codes, activating the ship's emergency landing bottom. I could hear it creak out just as we hit the ground, the windows of the cockpit blowing out and dirt flying in.

Darkness.

I could hear sputtering and coughing beside me and I tried my best to climb up. My fingers broke to flowing air and I mustered up enough strength to lift myself up. It was the second time I had found myself gasping for air on this damn ship. As my waist broke the surface, gravity pulled me toward the broken window. I grasped for something to hold while sliding down the dirt and a hand grabbed me.

"I was wondering where the fuck your ass had gone." I immediately wished gravity had forced me into the jagged, sharp glass below and the hand forcefully pulled me up and toward the door of the cockpit. He shoved me toward my cell and quickly cuffed my wrists, leading me by my neck. "You screwed up again, Murphy," he whispered closely and I turned my head. Royston was an ugly man; of all the mercs they could have hovering over me, they picked the ugliest and most foul-smelling one for me.

"Hey, wait! She helped us." Carolyn was covered in dirt, mimicking my own dusty look, and she grabbed Royston's shirt.

"Murphy? Help? Sure she didn't fuck up your system and send us all into hell?" he spat back and Carolyn stood quietly. Royston took her silence as submission and continued to push me through the corridor. A younger merc emerged from below, arms crossed across his chest. Obviously, he and Royston knew each other.

"So, you got the other, Roy? Put her down there with Riddick," the other said, smiling at me. His badge read JOHNS in bold letters and I looked him in the eye. He leaned down to my face and grinned. "How's a cute girl like you end up in the Slam?" I ignored him, turning my face away and Royston pushed me toward the bottom of the hull. It was dark and dusty, still warm from the speed and heat of our landing, and Royston pushed me to sit on the edge of a cooling unit, chaining my arms, spread-eagle, across the columns of the cooling tubes. Royston then turned to the dark space right in front of me, leaning in my ear.

"I know you two are going to be best friends." I could have bitten him. Two eyes glowed from behind the shadows and my heart began ramming against my ribcage. _Fuck_. With my luck, it was a hideous cannibal who would slowly eat my face until I bled out. I strained to touch my face, but was checked by the chains still attaching my wrists to the tubes. Royston grinned and slowly turned on one of the working overhead bulbs. He then walked away and I could hear the door shut firmly.

A head. Then the eyes. Then broad shoulders attached to strained arms. His features were almost perfect, no scars, no pits. He surveyed me and took in a deep breath through his nose.

"Scared?" His voice was deep and I swallowed. _What the hell was I supposed to be? Excited I was chained like a whore on a bed in front of a big, scary man with robot eyes who would probably enjoy eating more of me that what was between my legs?_ I was silent. My own voice sounded minute compared to his.

"You in the Slam?" He spoke again, but this time, he didn't seem as menacing. Trying to make some conversation.

"Yeah," I managed and he looked me over.

"Don't look like it." He leaned back and I titled my head, trying to relax my shoulders.

"Then what the hell do I look like?" I was going to overstep my boundary. He blinked and cocked his head to the side.

"You look like a bitch." He began to smile and I sighed, slumping my shoulders and adjusting myself in my seat.

"Well, you look like a moron who got his eyes shined because he can't stand being in the dark."

"Baby, you haven't been in the dark."

"Don't start that fight. You don't know me."

"I know you were in the minimum wing. What'd you do, steal a few credit chips from Mommy and Daddy?"

I lunged at him, my chains snapping taut. _He_ _better pray to God I don't fuck him up in the system._ He laughed slightly and cocked one eyebrow. I sat back, slightly fumed, and he looked me over again.

"What'd you do? You don't have a Mommy and Daddy. Must be angry."

"I hacked into a few Republic computers for a few thousand dollars. Changed a few _minor _details in the structure of the Code."

"A few thou?"

"More like 500 thou." He smiled at my answer. A cocky grin, but a smile nonetheless. He sat back and tilted his head between the rafters.

"You make the bottom drop out? All the landing gears came grindin' out and got stuck. Coulda had a smoother landing." His head came up slightly, listening for my answers.

"Yeah. But we were already fucked. I don't know why she let me out...not hard stuff, ship computers."

"Maybe she had somethin' else in mind. Needed another head to be cool."

"But I wasn't cool. I've had shivs at my neck but I can't even fix an analog without having a fit. Plus, the other guy thought I was some murderer, which I'm _not_. I don't understand it."

"If you been in the Slam, you thought about killing."

I looked up at him; his eyes were now looking into mine. "I have. I'm not denying that. But I won't kill on command."

"Smarter than I thought." His eyes were now closed as footsteps creaked down the steps. A short figure was climbing down, followed by a woman and man, both dark-skinned and had dark hair.

"See? There are two," the short figure, a kid, pointed to both Riddick and I and the two adults crossed their arms across their chests. They looked dissatisfied, slightly angry at the vision of Riddick and I. I tried my best not to care but it didn't work.

"The girl doesn' look that bad," the adult woman stepped toward me and bent down, almost like I was a child, to examine me. I didn't move, unsure of what to do. I had a feeling they had come down, not out of sympathy, but to gape and maybe even taunt. I was a prisoner, not a person. The kid suddenly came up and moved the woman out of the way, looking at me.

"My name is Jack," the kid bellowed, in a loud obnoxious tone, like I couldn't comprehend English. I flinched.

"I speak English, kid. And I'm not deaf." I looked at them all and the woman put her hand on the adult man. The kid smiled and looked up at the adults.

"See? Harmless." I cocked an eyebrow.

"You sure about that?" I asked and the kid paled slightly. The adult man came up to me, his hands on his hips.

"We read your file. You ain't nothin' but a hacker. You probably hacked all into our computers and brought us down, hoping you'd get outta here by killing us all," the adult male said sternly and I laughed. _Was he serious?_ Yes, the look on his face was serious.


	2. Trigger

_**(A/N: I like sentence fragments. I like punctuation. Sorry if they bother you. No one's complained but I know those kinds of things tend to get on people's nerves. I think they add dramatic effect...in my own little world, they do.)**_

_** Disclaimer: PB + characters Not mine. Non-PB chracters mine.  
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Silence. It echoed everywhere. The man was still standing above me and I finally answered.

"What makes you think I would want to kill you all to be stuck on a hell-hole like this?" He stepped back. No answers. "I don't care about you, that's true, but I don't kill. Leave that to professionals."

I flicked my gaze over to where Riddick sat, his body completely still, but his eyes now trained to the group in front of me. They all shifted and the kid, Jack, nodded. He stood and headed for the exit, passing me. His hand lifted to wave but under the heavy gaze of the adults, put his hand back down. They all departed and I turned to Riddick. He looked at me and tilted his head to the side.

"You have a way with kids, lady."

"A regular Mother Goose, aren't I?" I managed to make myself grin and he chuckled. Maybe not genuine, but at least he was beginning to enjoy himself. I worked up a big nerve and shifted myself.

"How much you pay someone to do your eyes?"

"You lookin' to get yours done?" He raised his brows.

"No, just curious. Might get me a few dates." The joke slid over his head and I vowed to keep quiet. Jokes weren't appropriate for those of us destined for Slams.

"Paid a doctor, or that's what he asked us to call him. He did it for 20 Kools and did a damn fine job. Except for the whole light thing." He was relaxed now, head slightly downward and I nodded.

More footsteps down the stairs and Royston appeared, gun gripped in his palm, face plastered with anger.

"Little tramp, what did you do to the water?" He slapped me firmly across the face and it stunned me. I regained my sight and after the stinging left my cheek, I looked up.

"Water? What water?" I held a glare now and he leaned in slowly.

"When you pressed that button to lose the energy stores, it was the water. Now we are going to dehydrate. Maybe we'll get lucky and have Mr. Riddick slice us all up first, but you just fucked us all." He leaned even closer. "And if we get off this planet, I'll cut you until you can't be recognized anymore." He smiled and knocked my jaw with his shotgun. He turned to Riddick. "Hey, Bastard Child, how about you make it easier for all of us and kill off this girl. One less body to feed and you can have her rations." He cackled and there was another voice.

"No one's killing anyone." Carolyn was standing there, her arms across her chest, followed my Johns, the other merc. Royston stopped and smirked. Women were just objects to Roy; that's why he fucked me up so bad.

"Listen, captain, this is my prisoner, my money. Don't tell me what to do with her." Royston was laughing now.

"Well, she's MY passenger. And I say, right now, since she saved your ass, you need to let her go. She doesn't have any violent violations on her record," Carolyn challenged, stepping closer and the grin faded from Royston's mouth.

"I don't care if she killed a whole fucking planet, she's not moving from here. She stays down HERE with Riddick." Royston's mouth was quivering now. He was angry. I suppressed the need to egg him on, because Carolyn was doing a fabulous job of it. "Why are you sticking up for this little wench anyways?" he asked Carolyn, turning to me in disgust.

"She analogged the computer, so that it was able to give the coordinates of where we are. While we don't have communication, she sent out a signal. Someone knows we crashed. We just don't know who knows or if they will follow it." All eyes were now on me. I had done it on purpose; I knew we were headed for the ground and did what I was trained to do: Send out distress when there was _distress_.

My cuffs were unhooked and I stretched my wrists. Sighing, I let Royston hoist me up and he pushed me from the bottom of the ship. He moved in front of me and Carolyn came to my side.

"How did you know?" she asked, her eyes narrowing.

"I just got a feeling. Something I developed in the Slam. When you get a feeling, it takes over," I replied and she nodded, climbing up a net into the sun. It gave me a momentary headache but a blink or two had me focusing on the landscape. Dry, hot, scorching. I couldn't think of any more adjectives. None positive, of course. I could make out the figures of people milling at the bottom of the ship. I saw the kid, the man and woman who had approached me earlier, and a few more kids plus a holy man. _Chrislams?_ I followed Carolyn down the front of the ship and she checked progress.

"Hey! You brought her out!" Jack removed the goggles covering his eyes and I could see the dismay in the two adults. I stuck out my hand.

"Kate Murphy. We met before." They slowly approached.

"Shazza, and this here's Zeke. We aren't going to be friends," the woman said and I nodded. _Fair enough_. I wasn't really a person, now was I? No..._Criminals aren't people_.

A lanky man, hands full of different knick-knacks approached. His face fell when he saw me but he managed to keep his footing. Sticking my hand out again, I actually managed to get his name and a slightly better reaction. His name was Paris Ogilvie. Said he was a dealer and apparently, had in mind to get quite a fortune when we reached the Taurus system. I took a look at what he was handling.

"Is that a scroll from Alexandria?" The scroll was beaten up, torn in places, but he let me hold it. He seemed surprised I knew. "I'm not stupid, you know," I replied to his facial expression and he backed down. I handed the scroll back to him and walked over to where Carolyn was standing. Her arms were crossed, her hands gripping her elbows.

"Thanks." The words spilled out and she turned around.

"No big deal. I wouldn't want to be stuck down there with Riddick."

"What's so bad about him? Kinda creepy but other than that, a real comedian."

"He talked to you?" She raised her eyebrows.

I shrugged. "The Slam's a network of friends and favors. When we both go back, that's one more connection to getting out or staying off of death row."

"From what I've heard, the part you were in wasn't as bad as Riddick's." She had now turned to face me fully, her side to the blazing horizon.

"True, but the Slam is all the same," I answered, "Riddick dealt with the big, psycho, murderous ones, while I was stuck with the mental patients and genius psychopaths. Anyone who tells you there's a big difference is a dirty liar. You learn quickly how to protect yourself."

She nodded and there was a sudden commotion back at the ship. I could see Johns and Royston stalking toward me, grimacing. They approached, kicking up dust.

"Where is he?" _Riddick?_ A ripple went through my spine. _I didn't do anything to help that bastard._ He's my Slam brethren, but to each his own.

"Who? Riddick?" They nodded and I could tell Royston was ready to break something; most preferably, my neck.

"What did you do?" Royston had snatched my wrist and I could tell Johns was dying to break another part of my body.

"I didn't do _anything._ I don't help people. And I'm sure he did it alone. He hasn't needed any help in the past, right?" A hand was up, smacking me in the face. But this time it was Johns. His eyes burned with anger and through my stinging eyes I watched his lips purse in obvious disbelief and slight embarrassment. Johns had been on Riddick's tail before; probably had lost him before too.

"Your smart mouth is going to get you eight and a half fingers instead of the usual. And I'll take the other trigger finger this time," Royston smiled and they both stalked away, Johns' glare hanging on me for a bit longer.

"This time?" Carolyn's brow was confused and I held up my hand. Half of my left trigger-finger was gone. It wasn't really big deal, more of a gruesome battle scar than a hindrance.

"He took it off when I was caught. Had a little mishap with my gun and he shot me right in the knuckle. But I got him in the ass, so it's all equal," I explained and she nodded, turning back to the horizon. She was thinking, deeply, and slowly tilted her head to the side.

"Captain!" the holy man was running full-speed toward us and we turned to face him as he came huffing up. "I think we may have found something...Hasan was able to locate some trees in the distance. God has led us to water!"

Carolyn looked at me and ran to the boy who held the binoculars. I stayed back as the holy man looked me over.

"Your aura is good. The Lord has good things in store for you," he said softly and walked away, leaving me to sort out the meaning. His Lord hadn't done anything good for me yet, so maybe it was time. And if good meant that Royston's balls were going to be blown off, I was all for it.

"Hey, Murphy, we found some trees!" Carolyn was yelling up at me and I skidded down the dune to where the company was standing. Royston stood to my side and forced me forward.

"Miss Murphy has volunteered to lead us." I regained my footing and began walking ahead, some of the survivors wary to follow me. The horizon began to get closer and I saw the towering things in the distance; maybe a few straggling trees trying to hold onto the moisture that may be zapped from their leaves. But with every step I saw that they weren't trees. It wasn't an oasis...it was a graveyard.

"What is this?" Carolyn touched one of the large ribcages and stepped around it.

"It's a tomb." The kid, Jack, was now looking through the same cage. I walked through the gates of different looming ribcages which sharply jutted into the air. Was everything so...DEAD on this planet? Walking, I noticed a flash. The sun against black. I looked back at the group, who was now milling around the other bones. I slipped into the shade of one of the towering cages and sat. It was so damn hot.

"Hey Baby."


	3. Loyalty

_**(A/N: To those who reviewed, thanks. I like the Hacker vs. Murderer thing too...you can be a criminal in any area.)**_

_**LANGUAGE IS A LITTLE MORE IN THIS CHAPTER. Be careful around the kids.**_

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I felt a trickle down my back. The sharp end of the expected shiv had penetrated me slightly, causing blood to seep from the small cut.

"I saw you," I said firmly and I could feel his breath right behind my ear. He laughed lightly and gently gripped my arm, pulling me between a break in the bars of the rib.

"What happened to your finger?" He leaned against the wall of the hole, relaxing his spine, muscles rippling in a smooth motion. I cocked an eyebrow and crossed my legs under me.

"My merc shot it off when I was caught," I answered him, "but I never found it." Riddick smiled, removing his round goggles in the shade. His silvery pools wavered and then turned up into his head. He closed his lids and rested his head against a rock. "Riddick, how did you get away?"

His head snapped back up at the question. He swallowed. "Had to kill a few people," he replied but I didn't flinch. He read the message in my eyes and laughed, "No, baby, you don't wanna kill anybody. You got too much to live for."

"Give me one thing," I spat back.

"Those pretty little shit eyes you got goin'. And a fuck of a lot of hacking skills. Shit, I know boys'd pay one mil to have you mess up a few computers with some nasty records on 'em."

"You do?" I needed that money. But of course I had to get out of Hell first.

"You thinkin' about going back to it?" he asked.

"I can't use these pretty little shit eyes for much, can I?"

"I can think of a few things." _Ass_. But I had asked for it. "But you gotta do something for me before I give you any names."

"I don't swallow." He cocked an eyebrow at my retort but continued.

"You help me off this planet without Johns and I'll give you a name. No tricks. Once we get that ship outta this air, the name is yours." He held out his thick hand. It took me a few moments to decide. Was I really going to risk my ass for this? _A measly name on a piece of paper that may or may not be the hand that feeds me._ But I needed it desperately. I wasn't going to starve again.

I was wary. I didn't like deals.

"Let me think about it." His jaw locked at this response.

"And as an extra, I'll get rid of your merc. Guy's a bastard to you."

"He's a bastard to everyone. Doesn't like criminals or women – I'm his whole package."

"And his pretty payday." And with that, he had disappeared. In a blink.

"What the fuck are you doing, Murphy? Talking to yourself?" Royston's fat head appeared on the other side of the bones and I gritted my teeth. Mumbling choice words under my breath, I scooted from the small opening and stood in the bright sun, next to my cop and the rest of our group.

"It's a settlement." All our heads snapped in the direction Carolyn had her eyes trained at. A lump of buildings were in the distance, blocking out some of the sunlight.

"Look." Johns held a plant in his hand. But my heart skipped a beat as I walked closer to examine. _Strings torn and the leather peeled back revealing a thick core_...a kid's baseball. But something else caught my eye. Shining in the distance...

The blasts seemed so sudden it made me jump slightly. It made us all lurch forward and then turn around.

"What the fuck?" Johns began running back toward the crashed ship and we all followed, almost clipping at his heels. By the time we reached the site, my lungs were burning. Another shot. _This time, fuller and a lot longer_. The dark-haired woman, Shazza, was screaming hysterically, blood covering the front of her shirt and her hands coated in the red liquid. Everyone else was cowering. But Johns and Royston were gone. Running behind some spires, I could see them hovering over a large body, legs extended and kicking the living shit of it.

"Hey!" The words escaped my mouth before I could stop myself. Anger blazed in Royston's eyes; he came straight for me and gave me a quick view of the victim. Riddick. Lying there, letting these two asswipes kick him into oblivion. Roy's hands gripped the back of my skull and I plummeted to the ground, face-first.

"You two married now?" Royston's voice was harsh and irate, his weight focused on crushing the bottom of my spine. He sat down on my back roughly and the pain stabbed me sharply. I snapped, my mind switching and blinding my vision. I wasn't a fucking pony and he wasn't going to ride me anymore. I remembered turning onto my stomach but the rest was lost to me. But I did know that I ended up straddling the bastard's chest, his hidden .35 pointed to his temple, and my hand around his throat, pushing hard.

"Stop doing that!" is all I could scream. My mind was high on adrenaline and his eyes were almost bugging out of the sockets. I could hear the cocking of a gun behind me and I swiftly turned to Johns, barrel pointed right between his eyes. "Do it. I dare you." Johns let his shotgun go lax and I pointed the gun to Riddick's head. He cocked his head slightly and I looked back at Royston.

"What's...?" Carolyn approached us and her mouth dropped. I dropped the gun on Royston's chest and stood up. I was swaying, my body still shaking from the burst of adrenaline to every nerve and she looked at me.

"Self-defense," I replied and she approached a coughing Royston and Johns, who was cuffing Riddick and putting his shotgun away.

"That bitch is going to die," Royston sputtered, standing and grabbing his gun. Carolyn quickly grabbed his arm, lowering the gun target from my head to the ground.

"NO ONE is killing ANYONE." She looked sternly at all of us and I nodded, taking a deep breath. I hadn't held a gun in a long time. It felt dead in my hands; but I felt powerful beyond all reason. Riddick and I were herded back into the ship and chained accordingly, mine being tied extra tight by an over-zealous, angry merc. He leaned close to my face and I could see the bruises from my hand on his neck.

"When I get you back, that other finger is coming off. I'll feed you to the dogs." He spit in my face violently and stomped up the stairs, slamming the hatch shut.

It was silent, only the sounds of footsteps above echoing through the bottom of the ship. I lifted my head to look at Riddick, who stared coldly at me.

"You got a deal."

The corners of his lips curled upward.

"Where'd you learn to handle a pistol like that?" He leaned forward. I scowled.

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But I do."

I kept my silence. The guy was treading on sensitive territory. But was insistent.

"Look, I only seen that kind of handiwork from old cons on Demos. You got the mark?"

"No."

"Then how'd you do it?"

"Paid for it."

He chuckled. "You paid to handle a gun like that?"

"I needed it."

"For what? To impress a boyfriend?"

My blood was boiling. "I just _did._ My mother..." _oh shit_. My lips snapped shut. His brows raised and I could predict the words before they left his mouth.

"So you did have a happy family before computers? How sweet."

"Riddick, I swear to God if you ever want to see again, you'll shut the fuck up." Ice. His eyes froze and I could tell he wasn't taking the threat lightly. The little girl in me wanted to sink, soften, crumble at his feet and start bawling. _God, it would feel SO good for a cry right about now_. Before I knew it, his face was right against mine.

"I'd split your big ass in half before you even took a step." _I have a big ass?_ NO. I was being threatened...I was supposed to be _frightened._ But all I wanted to do now was cry about how he had said I had a big ass and teased me about my mother.

But our stares were firm. His cold, mine fiery and burning into each other's skin. My tongue worked against my teeth to reply.

"Well my _big ass_ is tired of all this bullshit you're spitting. I'll make your Code so twisted in the system that everyone will be clamoring for a piece of your fat skull." _Touché_. Riddick sat back and ground his jaw loudly. I thought he was going to explode, rip from his bonds, and tear me into small pieces, spilling my brains and guts all over the tubes around us. But he was silent, which was just as terrifying.

"You get Johns. I'll take out your merc. No funny shit. I keep you a secret, you keep me one."

"Deal." I didn't want to fuck up this relationship. He looked me over.

"You do have a big ass, Murphy."

"You have a fat skull, Riddick."

- - -

She came clamoring down the steps and it woke me from a short cat nap.

"So where is he?" Carolyn had her hands on her waist, leaning against a cooling tube. I blinked myself awake and looked at my cracked watch. I had been out for about half an hour, good as of late. Sleeping hadn't really been a necessary action. _Who?_ But I could see was intent on Riddick answering. He sat there, eyes closed and she sighed.

"Fine. If you don't want to talk to me about what you heard..."

"The whispers," he interrupted and Carolyn seemed interested now.

"What whispers?"

"The ones tellin' me to go for the sweet spot - just to the left of the spine, fourth lumbar down. The abdominal aorta. What a gusher."

I could feel ice in my veins. _Shit, this guy murdered people, not just killed them. _I swallowed and watched her face pale. I wondered how white mine had turned. I had balls; enough balls to tell this crazy bastard he had a "fat skull" but when he spoke...chilled my blood. Despite being in the Slam, I was a major pussy when it came to some things.

"Human blood – got a coppery taste to it, almost metallic. But if you cut it with peppermint schnapps, that goes away."

My heart was in my throat. Riddick couldn't have killed that man. I would have smelled it on his breath. Blood had a sickening smell – like old, musty attics which you explored as a little kid. Riddick didn't seem like the type to kill and boast.

"Let's try the truth." Carolyn was slightly agitated now. Hate to see her when she's _really_ pissed.

Sarcasm aside, Riddick shifted. "You know, most of you people are scared of me. And most days, I'd take that as a compliment, but it ain't me you gotta be scared of."

"Where is he?" Gritting.

"He's in the hole."

"He's not in the hole. We looked."

"Look deeper."

She stalked away.

- - -

"Ultimatum, Murphy." Royston was stocking his shotgun with big blue shells the size of hot dogs. Cool as they went into the barrel but hot when they shattered your brain into tiny pieces. He snapped the gun shut and put it on his shoulder. "You help Johns and me, I help you. No funny shit. You try me again, you'll be in the nastiest asshole of a cell I can find in the Slam."

I nodded. It was the only thing I could muster up to cover up my apathy. Royston was a liar; I didn't believe half the shit he promised because he never kept promises. Mercs didn't keep anything, except dirty money. And that's what I was. He shoved me hard between the shoulder blades and I stumbled through the ship and to the sun. It singed my skin and I shielded my eyes, walking toward the camp.

"Remember, sweetheart." Riddick was suddenly behind me, rubbing his wrists. I nodded.

"I know. My loyalty doesn't lie with a merc."

"I don't want your loyalty."

"I'm not giving it to _you_. I'm loyal to myself. And you just happen to be more appealing at the moment." He smiled. We approached the group of people, who became silent at our appearance. Johns came up, laying a bundle of cords and a power cell in front of me.

"Hope you ain't tired."


	4. Darkness

_**(A/N: Same disclaimer. Thanks for the reviews**__**! I'm not really a review-whore like some people here, but I appreciate them. I write to release stress.)**_

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Rocks gnawed on the soles of my feet as I trudged in front of our band of stragglers, dragging a few loose cords and a huge power cell. Riddick hadn't spoken to me since we had been packed like mules, huffing and puffing with shit that I didn't even know we had.

"Why don't we stop for a minute?" My voice was ragged and I could see the dissent among the faces of the others. It was like a little vacation for them; hell, they had even broken out the expensive stuff, taking drinks off one bottle of scotch. I remembered the last time I had scotch – burned as it hit the mouth and even on the way down, but warmed you up inside. You pay a dealer in the Slam 4 razors for a small bottle and hide it between your boobs until dinner. Slip a little into your drink and a night of agonizing sounds and uncomfortable stares doesn't seem so bad.

"You stop, you die." A gun butt hit my bicep and I flinched at the pain. I sighed and gathered enough strength to readjust the cords on my back. _Should have been me in that fucking hole._

"Look." I followed Carolyn's finger to see the shine I had seen in the graveyard earlier. Dragging my load, I tried to keep up with Riddick as he walked quickly toward the ship. I hadn't eaten, drank, or even hardly slept since I had been out of cryo-sleep; my vision was limited and I began to wobble. But no one came to help. Too mesmerized by the sight.

A ship. Ratty and old but still useful. They gathered around it like a mutt to a steak and their eyes widened and glazed over. Even I was surprised.

"A little ratty-ass..." Johns put his shotgun behind him.

"Nothing we can't repair. Electrical needs to adapt but it'll get us to where we need to go. Not the whole way but enough to meet the person who got our signal," Carolyn cut him off and climbed up into the ship. We slowly heaved the cells in and I leaned against the side of the blazing ship, trying to regain my footing. My tongue was swollen, making my mouth dry, and I sucked in large breaths.

"Here," Carolyn handed me a flask, looking around, "Don't say a word." I held it to my lips and tipped it up. Water: cool, crisp drops running down the sides of my chin as I sucked it down. "Give some to your friend, too." I nodded and wiped my mouth, putting the top on the flask. I slipped it down my shirt and turned back to the back of the ship, grasping handles to hoist myself inside. Royston grabbed my hands.

"Get on the wing and help your friend on the patching."

I growled and he pushed me off. I stalked to the wing, my hands in fists. Riddick was bent over, examining holes and cracks in the metal. Ass in the air, he was silent, tilting and turning his head.

"Hey." The flask was in my hand and he stood up. I tossed it to his chest and he grabbed it with one hand, quickly downing what was left in the bottom.

"You have sex with someone for that?" His sense of humor was starting to tire me.

"Yeah, did the ol' 'spread-my-legs-for-some-H_2_O' deal."

"You gotta stop that." He grinned and I rolled my eyes, walking over to the hole. "Any ideas?" he asked and I looked up at him.

"We gotta go and find something to patch with. This thing won't get off the ground if we don't cover at least half these holes," I answered. No answer back, but he turned around.

"Come on." He spanked me quickly, jumping off the wing. I put my hand over the fiery spot on my left ass-cheek and followed, completely and utterly confused. But coming from the man who liked to drink blood as a dessert wine, it was just normal. Weaving in and out of buildings, Riddick was determined for one destination. I could make out the words and noticed why he wanted inside.

**_CORING ROOM_.** He slipped aside the tarp and looked in. The door was bolted shut, but Riddick pulled hard on the handle.

"What's in there?" As I stepped forward, the sole of my boot crunched an object on the ground. Looking down, I could see metal jutting from under my foot, sadly bending under my weight. Riddick flinched slightly and I bent down to pick up the shattered object.

A tangled pair of eyeglasses, glass falling in shards to the ground as I examined it. First the baseball, now this eerie human artifact, seemingly untouched by the elements.

"Where do you think they went?" I looked at Riddick who turned around. I could see his eyes roll back in his head slightly, in thought.

"I don't think it was by their own will," he wet his lips and turned back to the door of the Coring Room.

_Snap!_

I jumped, falling on my ass, my heart ramming against my chest. A head popped out from the top of a nearby bin and I scowled.

"Sorry." Jack cowered as I stood, brushing the dirt off my pants. The little shit had scared me. Riddick smiled and I want to gut him. Now. Taking that asshat smile of his and shove it down his throat and then cut it out of him.

"_Don't do that_." I glared at Jack who frowned, pushing himself up and out of the bin.

"I was just wondering if you found anything yet," he replied, strolling over in front of Riddick and me, "but I guess you..."

"Why don't you go back and play with the others?" I cut in and he frowned again. This kid was going to cry. He turned around and started walking but Riddick coughed. The kid turned back around.

"You didn't see us." The kid nodded and swiveled around. Right into Johns.

"I saw you, Riddick." The cocky grin on Johns' face stirred an angry flush in my face. He stepped forward and pushed the kid back to the ship. His eyes turned on us and the smile widened.

"Found a Lovers' Lane, eh? Well, I hate to break up this _ménage à trois_ but you two are still a payday. Run off again, and we'll be draggin' your body behind this goddamn ship on a string." Johns gripped the back of Riddick's neck and pushed me along back to the deck of the ship.

- - -

One of the Chrislam kids was dead. Ripped to shreds by black things. At first, no one said a word. The holy man had backed away from the remains, too horrified to even look at the carcass. Everyone else was somber, slightly disturbed; Riddick just licked his lips, an "I-told-you-so" look rippling through his face. The rest of the holy train exited, carrying candles and held a prayer service. I followed, too curious for my own good. The holy man began chanting and the other two pilgrims closed their eyes, following in line with the hum of the chanting. I stood with the kid and Paris, quiet. A cool hand touched my arm and I looked down to find Jack's dirty palm on my forearm. He looked up suddenly and realized what he was doing, drawing his hand away quickly. The kid was scared of me. Like I needed a child to be frightened of me, the girl addicted to guns, computers, and food for her big fat ass. I gently took his hand and squeezed it. Maybe this kid needed a hand. A smile came to the child's face and part of me came back to life. _A smile that was flashed every morning over a small table with cover made of red plastic flowers and smelling of bleach_.

"I knew you would come around, my child." A warm touch filled my shoulder and I looked up to find everyone walking away, the holy man looking back at me and then turning to walk back. But Jack stood beside me, looking off into the distance.

"You ever get the feeling that nobody likes you?" His voice was oddly high. And the intake of breath was quiet, not gruff.

"All the time," I sighed.

Walking back to the ship, we found a few people still lingering near the Coring Room. The door was open and I could see a sheet lying over the remains of the child, shielding away the raw picture that had unfolded. I stepped away, back toward the ship and ran right into Riddick.

"Feeling a little religious?" he asked, scoffing as if it was illegal.

"I just have respect for those who were innocent," I answered, raising my chin to meet his goggled eyes. He was searching for a smart-ass reply but was obviously out of such. "Listen," I lowered my voice, "I don't need chastising right now. I'm still trying to figure out how to off your merc."

He just pushed past me violently and I winced, rubbing my shoulder and looking back. Carolyn emerged from the Coring Room, face flushed and her eyes made a beeline for me.

"Hey," she waved her hand for me to go into the room. Now everyone's gaze was on me. I padded toward the room and entered, seeing a large mechanical tube.

"There are some coring samples, dating back 60 years. And the computer must have something on it..." Carolyn pointed to a small panel and I pulled a box over to sit in front of the screen. I pressed the power button but nothing happened.

"It doesn't work." Carolyn was over my shoulder.

"No shit," I laughed and she didn't smile. Guess it wasn't as funny to her. I looked on the bottom of the tube, trying to find something that might turn it on. _The hatch_.

"Kick that hatch right there," I pointed to a small square on the lower right. Carolyn arched her brows.

"You want me to kick it?" She seemed surprised.

"Yes. Kick the damn box!"

She did but nothing happened. She had barely dented the metal and I sighed.

"Would anyone else like to try?" A few faces leaned out from behind the tube, looking guilty. They had snuck in to eavesdrop on the convict and the captain. I smiled.

"How about you, Roy? Big feet gotta be good for something." He grumbled and walked over to the box, kicking it firmly. Just another dent and a black screen. Johns stepped forward, kicked, and the same. Everyone took a turn but no activity.

"Riddick!" Jack had turned to the door, motioning the big man in. He came over and stood beside the box, examining it. It wasn't rocket science,_ just kick the damn box_!

And he did. It flew into pieces around the room, people ducking and faces going white at the power. But a screen flickered to life. It was an old system but still manageable.

"Your core samples _are_ from 60 years ago. None dated after this month. None really recorded after that actually," I flipped through records and they all listened intently. A solar system came on the screen and began moving. _An eclipse_._ Over a planet that looked eerily like this one we were stranded on_.

My heart dropped. I checked my watch. I jumped from my box and went outside. Nothing. Except...a planet was rising rapidly into the sky. Running back into the room, all faces were on mine. I swallowed, trying to catch a breath.

"T-T-There's a-an eclipse t-that comes every 60 years. C-C-Complete darkness. Whatever got these people 60 years ago is coming out tonight."

I ran back to the hatch, kicked it forcefully and the screen went blank. I ran out and turned around, angry at them all. Why weren't they moving? Just fucking standing there, looking like a bunch of pigs waiting for the kill.

"Where are you going?" Carolyn stepped up and I sighed violently.

"Getting my ass off this planet before something bites it off. So I suggest we all get the _fuck_ out of here." I started running toward the ship, now a herd of feet following me. The planet was rising fast. An engine started and the old abandoned sand-cat zoomed to life. I grabbed a power cell and forced it over to the sand-cat, putting it onto the makeshift sled. It began moving and everyone jumped in. All except Riddick. Someone wanted him gone.

He sprinted behind the sand-cat, trying to catch up. I put my hand out and he grabbed it, pushing off with his feet and launching into the vehicle right onto me. It knocked my breath out and I blacked out slightly. But when I opened my eyes, Riddick was still on me, nose touching mine. I roughly slid out from under him and he stood, earning a glare from me. He cocked an eyebrow and it made me grimace even more. _Bastard_.


	5. QUICK PROPS

I was just putting this in here because it has helped me SO much with my story.

**Hundland dot com **--- **click Movie-page dot com **--- **scroll to the P's**

It's the original shooting draft of the script for **_Pitch Black_**. It gave me ideas for actions/the names of places that I couldn't really decipher from the movie. But it's just the pre-shooting draft and some changes were made that aren't on this website that appear in the movie - mostly Johns shooting morphine in his eyes (Cole Hauser actually came up with that idea when they began shooting) and Jack's name was originally Audrey...which is weird...A hardcore name, right?

Anyways, if you need a reference, this is an EXCELLENT source. I love it.

Sorry, but I just had to pimp this. It's really a great world when you can get a movie script online...


	6. Blood

**_(A/N: I'm not really sure how long the darkness lasts...I read in another fanfic it was 68 hours, but not sure if it's true. But I'm on a roll...college life is uneventful.)_**

**_(Disclaimer: If you've heard of it, it's not mine.)_**

_The cargo hold_. We jumped out of the sand-cat as we came upon our ship, black things squealing into the night from their spires. It was like the plague; they blocked the remaining light and flew right toward us. Running into the ship, I saw Riddick and the dark-haired woman on the ground, trying to catch up with the rest of us. They fell on their stomachs as the things flew over their heads, cutting and swiping at the air. Riddick was flat on his back, like a kid looking at the stars, still and quiet. But the woman...

"No!" The kid was yelling but the dumb bitch didn't listen. She faded into the cloud and my heart jumped in my throat. We weren't the alpha predators here; a bigger, more secretive force glided through the air, waiting. Riddick was running now, back toward the hold and slammed the door shut behind him. We all sucked in a collective deep breath and stood in silence, waiting. The clicking continued outside as the holy man, the dealer, and the kid pressed their ears to the hatch.

"Why do they do that? Make that sound?" The kid looked back at us.

"Echo-location: sounds bounce off of beings and they use the sound waves to find their meal. Sea mammals use it," I responded, wiping the sweat out of my eyes. Another click, but this time it was behind us. This made my heart palpitate even more erratically and I was now physically shaking.

"I'd rather piss glass." Johns held his gun securely as we looked to him to lead us. He had the fucking gun but apparently, not the balls that accessorized it. The dealer was now pushing against the door and we all lunged for him, screaming, "NO!"

"This is the way!" he replied and the door swung open, the line of us scrambling in and the door closing. But the animals were tearing at the door we just closed. Johns began to cut another hole, sparks flying as we all pissed ourselves, waiting. Hearts were beating fast, collectively and I could hear whispers of prayer. We plowed deeper into the cargo and something oozed into my shoe as we entered the fifth cargo hold container. It crunched beneath my feet and I looked down. Pieces of the little predators, swimming in a bath of their own blood.

"Kate, let's go!" The hairs on the back of my neck rose. _My first name..._Carolyn grabbed my wrist, pulling through the sludge and we exited that chamber. But my left hand was empty. I had been grasping Riddick's shirt, pulling him along. He was gone.

"Wait, wait..." I gasped for air, "Riddick..." Carolyn turned around and her face dropped.

"Where's the other little one?" the holy man looked around him, but we all knew where he was. With Riddick. Both back with those..._things_.

_A death-scream_. I broke into a run back toward the previous escape hatch and barreled into Riddick. It knocked me breathless and my head landed hard on the ground, into the swamp of animal parts and slime.

"He's dead. Couldn't stay still." A strong hand grasped the front of my shirt and yanked me onto my feet, the back of my head throbbing. Riddick pushed me quickly toward the hatch where faces appeared. "You're bleeding," he growled and my hand went back to touch the source of the throbbing. It was rolling down my neck, over my shoulders and staining my shirt. A light suddenly shined in our faces and Riddick hissed, throwing me forward and falling. But a shotgun blast rang through the air and bits of dark meat fell over my hands. So fucking nasty. I hurried up, head still blasting with pain and ran toward the group. Riddick followed, slightly shaken but still much more together than me.

"Cover up her wound. They smell it," Johns said and Carolyn tossed me a rag. I pressed it hard against my wound and followed them into the sixth container.

"It's light! Light makes them burn. That's why they don't come out..." Carolyn was talking to Johns and Roy as I hung back with the kid and the dealer, Riddick and the holy man in tow. Carolyn quickly bustled through the contents of what we were carrying, looking for anything that emitted light. A flashlight, torches, umbrellas, flares...pouring them on the floor, she looked at all of us.

"Okay, if we can just keep a light, we'll be in the clear," she sighed. Everyone began taking up something and I grasped a flare. "Now we gotta drag those cells, get them to the skiff we found..."

"Tonight? With all those things out there?" The kid asked, voice shaking uncontrollably. Poor thing was scared out of his wits.

"But the darkness has to stop, right? We'll just sit tight," Royston grunted and the holy man shook his head.

"The model Miss Murphy brought up on screen showed the plants moving as one: a lasting darkness," he said calmly and both mercs seemed uncomfortable. Stuck on a planet with the only guns and two bounties who wanted their heads...yeah, I'd be uncomfortable too. But it was an advantage. I turned to Riddick, whose thoughts almost paired mine, his silvery eyes flashing into mine. Easier to eliminate if they stayed soft. Our eyes broke as Johns opened his mouth.

"How about you shut the fuck up for a few minutes and let someone else come up with a plan that doesn't involve mass suicide?" he growled at her and her jaw locked furiously.

"How much you weight, Johns?"

"What the hell's it matter?"

"How much?"

"79 kilos..."

"Because you're 79 kilos of gutless white meat and THAT'S why you can't come up with a better plan."

He lunged at her but my chest was in front of the gun before it could reach Carolyn. His eyes burned angrily and the barrel of the gun was under my chin.

"Royston, if this bitch doesn't move, I swear I'm going to blow her spine out."

"Think about it." A shiv flashed around Johns' neck and Riddick's eyes glowed above the merc's head. The gun lowered and I let out the breath I had been holding. Any longer and I would have either passed out or gone into cardiac arrest. _I gotta stop this ballsy stuff_.

"Oh, Trash Baby, you're going to regret this." Johns hung up his gun and stepped back to stand with Royston, who glared at me. Riddick backed off with a cold stare and flicked his eyes toward me. Carolyn stepped up to him, taking in a deep breath.

"Can you lead us? It's dark..." she said and Riddick pushed past her, right into the shadows. I slung a cell over my shoulder and followed behind the kid, who stayed back, his body touching mine softly. He was shaking; poor thing probably was close to pissing himself. Hell, I was close to pissing myself.

- - -

"She's bleeding." Riddick looked down at me as we hoisted chains on our backs, connected to a small sled with a power cell attached. I looked at Carolyn. She looked uninjured, helping the holy man with his sled.

"She looks clean," I replied, looking back at him, but I could see his eyes somewhere else. The kid. _A girl?_ "Riddick..." I began to question but knew I couldn't argue. _But the kid was clean, no cuts..._

It was like a lead brick on my stomach. My nose wrinkled and I cringed at Riddick. "You can smell that?"

"It's a special smell. Most of the time, I like it."

"Well, then it serves its purpose," I sighed, "but I'm going to say something." His hand stopped me.

"Tell the kid. Not Johns or your merc. The kid stays with you."

"So, on top of dragging this, I'm the babysitter?"

"You rather me cover the kid?"

"You touch her in the wrong way, I'll eat your head. Now that I think about it, we both cover her. Make it even."

He gave a short nod. "You figure out how you're going to off Johns?"

I actually hadn't thought about it since we had made the deal. But now it seemed to fire me up even more since the gun barrel had been under my jaw, his eyes blazing with anger. Arrogant son of a bitch...Carolyn was trying to help. "Not sure. Since he thinks he's hot shit, I'll let these monsters get him. I just need to reel him in."

"You're a woman. You're good at playin' games." He strode away and I followed, less than grinning about his assumption.

"Having a lovers' quarrel?" Royston's stink ass smiled, his hands on his hips, the grin spreading across his nasty features. I sneered at him and he grabbed my arm. "Do it again. I dare you." My face stayed still, every muscle in my body trying not to sock his sorry ass back into the ship. He was Riddick's now, not mine. I snatched my arm away and went toward the rest of the sleds.

"Kate, your head looks pretty bad." I turned around the see Carolyn looking at me. I felt the back of head, hair matted with dried blood. The throbbing had stopped but the cut was still sore.

"I'll be okay," I shrugged and she nodded, putting some things back into her bag. I bit my lip, trying to decide whether I should tell her about the kid. But I trusted her. Trust. The word sent shivers through my body but I stepped to her. "Hey, um, the kid...she's riding the wave."

Carolyn's eyes narrowed, confused.

"The _crimson_ wave...you know..." I whispered and her eyes grew as wide as saucers. She was just putting the pieces together.

"How did you know?" she lowered her voice, getting closer.

"Riddick. Smelled it," I cringed and she mimicked my facial expression, initially as disturbed as I had been.

"He smelled it?" I nodded.

"But I've got it covered, Carolyn. Don't worry." I walked away, dragging the sled behind me. I was positioned behind Riddick, the kid right behind me. Riddick had obviously shot her a knowing glare, because she was now paler than before. The mercs hovered behind me, guns in hand and the holy man stood beside me, his own sled making tracks in the dark. We trudged through the dark, flares and umbrellas lit by alcohol.

"Get some light on me. I've run out," the dealer said weakly, halting our progress across the terrain. Lights shone on him as he changed out bottles. I sighed, taking a breath and looking to the ground. _The kid..._I had lost the small feet next to mine and I looked around. _A hand fading into the darkness_; _click-click-click_.

I dove after the hand, landing hard on her body as we were sliced at through the air. Johns shot gun blasted and the girl was breathing heavily below me. "You okay?"

She whimpered and I lifted her up, scrambling toward the light. I could feel them chasing after her, the blood fresh to their senses. But once in the light, all eyes were trained to us, heaving and gulping in air.

"WILL SOMEONE PLEASE GET ME SOME LIGHT OVER HERE?" But it was too late. One more down, the dealer swiped wordlessly out of the air. Riddick was squinting, apparently aware of the feasting going on beyond our eyes. Chill bumps dotted my arms and I shuddered, walking back to my place.

Riddick was now going faster, setting the pace a lot higher than my legs could carry me and my load. The clicking was getting loud. Riddick stopped and turned to face the rest of us.

"Canyon ahead. Don't know if we'll make it."

"What the fuck do you mean?" Royston was growling and Riddick narrowed his eyes. I suppressed the need to grin, anticipating seeing Roy's body at the bottom of that canyon, a shiv mark across his carotid and the monsters lapping up the blood.

"I _mean _that we need to figure out something," Riddick replied, his voice deathly low.

"We can't make it across...let's go back..." Carolyn was white now, her voice soft. She was losing a mental battle.

"No." Johns gripped his gun.

"She's the captain, we should listen to her..." the holy man cut in but Johns whipped a look at him.

"Listen to her? When she was willing to sacrifice us all?" A slap in the face. Not to me...I had watched her eye that button with want. Didn't blame her for thinking it.

"What's he talkin' about?" the kid piped in.

"During the crash, she tried to blow the whole fucking passenger compartment, tried to kill us in our sleep. We are just disposable to her..." Johns spat and Carolyn was now crying, silent tears falling down her cheeks.

"We're not alive _because_ of her...alive _in spite_ of her," Johns frowned.


	7. Mission

_**(Disclaimer: If you recognize it, it's not mine.)**_

**_GORE ALERT. Necessary, but you'll see why..._**

_Can I just say "THANKS"? All your reviews make my day. I went to see an author (who wrote Big Fish) speak last night and he said, "If you start to write a story and you know where it's going, it's going to be bad." I started this one having no idea where it was gonna go and so far, I'm really pleased. It'll start to be a little but more pairing-ish in this chapter._

**- - -**

"Oh, come off it, Johns." My tone was more than annoyed. "I'm sick of all your blame-game bullshit."

"Nobody asked you."

"I don't give a fuck. You can't see what's attacking them and _that_ scares you," I replied, glaring. He stepped forward, his jaw working firmly.

"You woulda killed us, hack?"

"If it meant saving my own ass, yes," I replied and looked at the others, then back at Johns. "You would've done the same thing, Johns. It's instinct."

"How would you know?" He seemed interested now.

"Because that's what happens. I don't blame her!" I yelled and hoisted the chains on my back. "How about we all shut the hell up and go? I'm tired of standing here, arguing about things we can't change." Everyone was silent. But slowly they picked up their things and we started moving again. Royston moved slowly up to Riddick and began to talk. I tried to lean my ear in but they took large strides, distancing themselves immensely from the rest of us.

"What do you think they're talking about?" the kid turned to the holy man beside me.

"Probably about how to cross the canyon...ways to get out," the man replied and the kid nodded, raising her flame higher.

Riddick swiftly glanced behind him at us. I knew. The look in his eyes was enough to tell me he was thinking about death. Carolyn stopped.

"Slow down," she whispered and we obeyed, easing up slightly on our pace. We were now creeping along and I saw Riddick lunge for the gun.

"Leave the cells! GO!" I yelled, ducking at the shotgun blast and we all ducked, running away with the light.

"Follow the tracks!" Carolyn bellowed behind her and we did as she said, finding the tracks and running quickly along them. A sudden yank on my shirt sent me tumbling backwards and my back slamming against the dirt.

"You two in it together? _Kill us both_?" Johns screamed in my face and I saw the light of Carolyn, the kid, and the holy man fading away. He was now gripping the front of my shirt and I grabbed his wrists, pulling them as hard as I could.

"Do you want to die?" I replied and he smiled.

"Oh, I'm not dying," he laughed and I kicked my feet. His body weight kept me still, but I kept thrashing. My body began to ache and he didn't budge. The shotgun was between my eyes, cocked. One last push...

He groaned and rolled off, grabbing his throat, right at the Adam's apple. I kicked the gun away from us and climbed on top of him, my knee firmly in his groin.

"Let me tell you something," I growled, "I've been starving too fucking long to let your ass kill me. I've killed too many people to give up now..." _A confession in the passion_. His eyes widened and I swallowed, realizing my slip. He took the moment to kick me off and grab his gun again. My head smashed to the ground and the sore wound opened again, spilling blood over the dirt.

"Kate!" the kid's voice echoed in the darkness and I tried to speak, but his hand was on my throat. His finger was pulling the trigger. But almost like a dream, I shoved him over me and the gun spilled on the ground, casings rolling on the dirt. I crawled, grasping a shell and the heavy gun. Johns was already up and running toward me. _Pull it back, blue-side last, close it, up, shoulder, aim..._A blast echoed in front of me. Blood, brains, skull littered my hands, the gun, and the front part of my body. Johns flopped down like a rag doll, his face caved in from the powerful shot. He was dead.

I sighed, tears running down my face in awkward joy and I dropped the gun. The light was coming toward me and the clicking increased. They appeared as I wiped the bits of flesh from eyes, smearing blood over my face and into my hair. _Relief._

They all curled in fear and I looked up, eyes glazed in tears. Riddick had bits of blood stuck to his arms and he smiled. The deal was done.

"He was going to ghost me." It was all I could manage. Eerily, they all understood, not outraged at my action. _CLICK CLICK CLICK_.

"Let's go," Riddick said gravely and we all followed, grabbing up the power cells that had been abandoned before. Johns and Royston's bodies were now being devoured, fought over by the creatures. We all ran behind him and stopped as he halted before the canyon.

"Light them all in max. We're going in there like a big fucking sled. Get the girl under a sled so they don't see her. You two pull." Riddick pointed to Carolyn and me. I nodded, turning to the kid. The last little holy kid helped us mold a perfect shell out of the sled metal around the girl and I could see Riddick and the holy man having a conversation. Riddick didn't smile once. A fucking comedian and he was too stubborn to listen to anyone. I shook my head.

"Now!" Carolyn and I ran quickly through the canyon, torches held. Riddick pulled 200 pounds of stubborn cell weight while the holy man led us all. The hatchlings on the ceiling sprang to life, swishing and flying around, cutting each other in the frenzy to detect us. The blue of their blood mixed with the red on my dry skin, making a purplish run-off down my arms.

"What do we do?" Bodies of the animals had piled at the exit and both Carolyn and I were stumped.

"They're fucking stairs!" Riddick bellowed and we began to climb. But our load became light. The girl squealed, falling down the pile of bodies and I reached for her hand, jerking her up at the last minute. The muscles in my arm were ripping steadily and I groaned to pull her back up. She let out another squeal as a black shadow dipped in front of us, its monstrous blade reared to split us in two. But it moaned in pain and guts spilled onto the ground below us and the body tumbled down into the blackness. Riddick put away his shiv and hoisted the cells back up. "Didn't know who he was fuckin' with."

"Suleiman!" _The other holy kid_. Popping out of the darkness, the kid looked tired. The holy man sighed.

But as he did, the kid's eyes widened and he was swiped swiftly back into the darkness, like the dealer had been taken away.

"Keep going!" Riddick screamed and we pulled ourselves up and out of the canyon, breaking into the night. It was like heaven to see the moon and the stars...a torch sputtered and I could feel something cool on my cheeks. Tears of joy? No, it didn't taste salty. Rain.

"Where's your God now? He's PISSING on me!" Riddick chuckled angrily and one torch exterminated itself. The torches were waning under the storm that raged.

"We can't make it!" Carolyn yelled to Riddick, who looked back at her. Blinking, he swallowed.

"Get in there." He pointed to a small fissure in the side of the canyon, hidden away from the rain. We all piled in and Riddick stepped back out in the rain, his shape glowing in the twilight. "Stay." We all nodded and he jogged off, the cells sliding easily in the mud.

"He's not coming back, is he?" The girl looked up with sad eyes. My heart leapt as I tried to find his disappearing figure in the darkness. I didn't know. He had made the deal: I killed Johns. I killed the bastard. I needed to get off this planet.

"What are those?" I looked up to where the holy man was pointing and saw softly glowing blue lights, wiggling on the walls of the crevice.

"How many bottles do we have? Let's get them in..." Carolyn extracted some bottles from the sleds and we began plucking the larvae from the walls. With two bottles glowing, Carolyn grabbed one, tying it around her neck. My eyes were wide.

"Where are you going?" I couldn't believe her. She managed a smile.

"Going to save us." And she left, leaving the three of us to silently sit in our hole. It was silent, rain pattering on the rocks outside, and I could feel the girl shift beside me.

"Why'd you kill him?" she whispered silently and I looked at her. _Oh my God_. Her small face, twisted in anguish. _She shouldn't have been there_...My hot tears began to mix with the rain on my face. I looked at the blood still in the creases of my hands, showing the contours of the same hands that had shot so many people...the stump of my left trigger finger had healed long before, the scar shiny in the night. But it wasn't an excuse. I had shot Johns in full conscience. But I knew I had to rid the group of him. Before he ruined anyone else's life. My fingers balled into fists.

"I'm tired of being pushed around," I replied, gasping through the tears, "I don't want to be a victim anymore. I've killed too many people because I didn't want to die and I thought I had stopped, but he held that gun to my face..." I was sobbing now and their eyes were soft and sympathetic. "I got in the Slam because I wanted something for my family: money. We starved for so long..."

"Child, the Lord has put you here for a reason..." the holy man extended his hand to my arm but I retracted.

"_Why_? So I could kill people and hack into computers and ruin people's lives? Is _that_ what he wants?" my throat hurt from crying and tiredly trying to scream. They were silent and I could feel a small hand winding into mine.

"You're not a bad person. At least, I don't think so," the girl said in a small voice. My heart fell. Love. Such a long lost emotion...I had forgotten its warmth, its promise. That's why the flashbacks had frightened me so much.

The sled in front of us suddenly skidded away and a large figure stood there. Riddick. Bastard had a soul.

"You came back for us?" the girl's eyes were enormous.

"Yeah, yeah, we're all fuckin' amazed. Let's go," he motioned us up and we didn't object. We ran behind him, ducking behind rocks, splashing through the mud. But he stopped. "Listen." He put a finger to his lips and we were quiet. The creatures had huddled around a hole, lapping up the water greedily. Riddick broke out into a run, dragging us like linked paper dolls through a gap in the monsters. Water splashed around us and we reached a muddy rise, creatures now swarming near us. The girl suddenly detached and slid down the rise, feet first. In a flash, Riddick's arms had swiped the girl up and heaved her to me.

"You know the way, Murphy!" he screamed and I turned back, running ahead of the holy man and Carolyn. We ran breathlessly toward the lights of the skiff. The hatch was open and the holy man grabbed the girl aboard, me following. But Carolyn stayed.

"I'm going back for him..." she replied and screams, human and animal, echoed through the rain drops. She suddenly ran back, into the darkness, a glowworm bottle bouncing around her neck.

"What if they don't make it back?" the kid looked to me and I sighed.

"They're coming back. It's Riddick," I replied, going into the cockpit and finding that all the switches were on, the engine humming.

"Look!"

I rushed back to find the kid's finger pointed forward into the night. A bouncing light, coming back toward the ship slowly. I jumped from the back and caught a flash of a large head above the two figures, slicing wildly. My fingers clawed for a rock and I heaved it into the air, sailing for the head. It struck soundly but the blue light disappeared. Gone. But someone was on their knees, crawling slowly through the mud. I padded through it to find Riddick, bloodied and battered, struggling in the puddles.

"Go," he said weakly and his eyes swam with fear. _Fear?_ I shook my head.

"No, come on. I'll carry you."

"Carry me?" he gasped as I put my arms under his pits, dragging him through the mud and to the light of the ship.

"Oh shut the fuck up Riddick and let me help you!" I groaned and he slowly lifted a foot, standing and stumbling with me to the ship. His weight burned my arms and I loaded him onto the ship, heaving his dead-weight legs and heavy boots in front of me. Something swiped at the metal beside me, drawing sparks and burning my skin. I jumped after him and slammed the hatch shut as hard as I could.

"Riddick, you gotta get up. I ain't pulling you any more..." I grumbled, taking his shoulders and pulling him into the cabin, next to a cot that had been constructed for sleeping. He grasped the side of the cot and I helped him tumble into the thick net. The ship lurched and scratching began on the sides.

"Kate!" the strangled cry was at the controls. I left Riddick and slowly slipped into the pilot's seat. Setting our coordinates, I turned the ship on. It shot upward and I sighed, my muscles gently relaxing. We were alive. But Carolyn...

"New Mecca?" the holy man's eyes were at the digits on the screen and I nodded.

"Apparently, we know some people," I smiled and he sat back down. We were now sailing above the dark planet, going toward the light. Light. Such a needed commodity. I stood and walked back toward the cot, where Riddick was slumped, eyes opened in slits. I turned down the light and they crept open, looking at me.

"I need that name." A smile broke on his face at my words. I sat across from his body, arms resting on my knees and my eyes on him.

"You did it," he rested his head back.

"Killed Johns?"

"Yeah. Didn't think you'd do it."

"Me neither. But I wasn't going to make it through this and still have cuffs on and a bit in my mouth," I looked toward the cockpit, where the girl and the holy man were milling around. Sunlight broke slowly and I shielded my eyes, then turning back to Riddick.

"Where we going?"

"Sol-Track and then New Mecca. I gotta see someone. Gotta place to stay, too."

"Room for one more?" His voice was soft and I grinned.

"Yeah. I guess."


	8. Home

We were reluctantly picked up by a small ship in the Sol-Track Shipping Lanes. They didn't recognize me or the other three as we piled onto the ship, tired, thirsty, and starving. After a quick shower and a few bites of dehydrated space chow, I was ready to sleep. The deep sleep carried me through no dreams and I awoke as the ship bounced on the landing strip in New Mecca. The air was dry, blowing lightly as we stepped off the ship, carrying our tattered bags. Our clothes were still stained with blood and dirt, but we had gone far past the point of caring.

"Miss Murphy, I trust you have a place of shelter on this planet?" the holy man looked at me and I smiled.

"Yes. Riddick and I will be here," I handed him a tiny scrap of parchment, an address scribbled down. He read it, nodded and took the hand of the girl, Jack.

"She will come with me..." he said but the girl pulled back.

"Can I stay with you?" she asked, brows rising at me and I sighed. I hated breaking her tiny little heart.

"No. But you can come visit," I replied and she nodded, not prodding any farther. I looked at the holy man.

"What name should I reach you by?" I asked.

"El-Imam. Near the temple," he answered and looked at Riddick, who had straightened up, goggled and rigid. "Goodbye, friends."

They both trotted toward the sun, disappearing behind the wave of people flooding the streets. I turned to Riddick.

"Come on. Just up those streets," I motioned and he gave me a slight nod, understanding. We wove through the people, our heads lowered and not speaking. As I approached the apartment, I noticed the tablecloth waving in the wind on the clothesline.

We climbed the steps and I placed a shaking hand on the doorknocker. Knocking twice, dust flew up from the boards of the door, causing me to blink. Slowly, the hinges creaked and a pair of big, green eyes popped in the crack creaked by the door.

"Ma?" The words sounded so strange and foreign on my tongue. But the door slammed shut, then heaved open. Her hair was a snowy white, still frizzy near the sides of her face. Her lips pursed and tears streamed down her cheeks. Nails dug into my shoulders and I was pulled to her chest, tears coming down my own face. She smelled the same.

"Oh, Baby. Oh, my little baby..." she cooed softly and I hugged her even harder. She loosened a bit, staring at the enormous man behind me. Her eyes darted back at me.

"Are you pregnant?" Laughter burst out of my mouth as I turned to look at Riddick. _Him? Have sex with me? And we make a baby? Never._ Riddick was asexual; I wasn't even sure he still had the equipment after all of his breakouts and reentries into the system. I'm sure a merc got a little shiv happy and rid him of any

"extra" ego appendages.

"No, Ma. We just need a place to rest," I answered and she swallowed, closing the door as Riddick stepped in. She darted around Riddick and came back to me.

"I saw your name in the news...I thought you were still in _there_," she began, touching my face with a small hand.

"Well, there was a mix-up and we ended up on the wrong ship. There was a scuffle so we hopped a ship back here," I explained, setting my things down. God, I hated lying to my poor mother. But it was for her own good.

"At least you're back." Her voice was tender, relieved. Had she been waiting up for me? _For 10 years_? Her eyes were now back to Riddick, who hadn't moved since stepping inside. "Is he okay?" she whispered lowly.

"Yeah. Just a little scuffed up," I replied, "I need you to check him out...make sure he's not infected." She reluctantly agreed and coaxed him into the kitchen, where she extracted her supplies. My mother had been a Healer, a nurse of sorts, who worked for the local MedStation. As a kid, I always watched her stitch up people, completely appalled at the nature of wars and crimes. What a hypocrite I turned out to be.

I checked the cabinets while my mother diligently scanned Riddick, looking for signs of infection. She talked to herself mostly, commenting on a black scratch here or a burn mark there, while Riddick eyed her cautiously. I chuckled, watching them go back and forth, while shoving food quickly into my mouth. Peaches. The sweet taste lingered in my mouth as I sucked my fingers clean of the syrup.

"_Heathen_. Get a napkin." My mother's scolding hadn't stopped. I reached for a towel just as she finished bandaging Riddick. He seemed slightly more at ease with her, brow slumping against his goggles.

"Now you," she motioned to me, patting Riddick on the back. He stood and I sat where he had plopped down.

"Oh, Katie, look at that." _The wound on the back of my head_. She began to pick at it and I winced, watching the flakes of dried blood fall to the tiled floor below me. "How'd you get that?"

"Fell," I replied and Riddick's mouth turned up slightly. But she wasn't convinced. My mother looked at Riddick.

"And would you know how she got this?"

"She fell," Riddick cleared his throat and I shot my mother a "see-I-told-you-so" look. She turned back to the wound and sighed. She pulled out a needle and thread and began to patch it up. Riddick opened a cabinet door, sniffing inside. Extracting a can, he brandished his shiv, causing my mother to gasp.

"Ma, it's ok." I patted her arm, and then turned to Riddick. "Can opener. That's what the civilians use," I pointed but he placed the point of his shiv on the top of the can and began cranking. _You smart-ass_. I was beginning to wonder if this arrangement was as good an idea as I had hoped. After the stitches, I stood, stretching.

"Katie, I have to go to work at 9. Will you two be okay until the morning?" my mother was wiping off all the blood remnants on the table and floor.

"Yeah. You need me to go pick up something from the store? Don't know how much Riddick can eat, but I'll eat a fucking horse," I sighed and she snapped at me.

"Language," she chirped and I clamped my mouth shut.

- - -

By 9, I was going through all my old clothes, finding the ones that fit and trying them on. Riddick stood by the window, peering out into the street from my bedroom. He seemed anxious; I reasoned that we were at least safe on Helion Prime, rather than on some other civilian planet where police were swarming the streets. I looked up from the drawer.

"Hey, do you need another shirt?" Riddick turned around at my voice. No answer. I took it as a "yes" and headed for my mother's room. Rummaging through some drawers, I found them. _Folded as if he was coming back after all these years_. I pulled a white tank top from the stack and its scent wafted up. The smell of him coming home always covered in cedar chips with a huge smile from ear to ear. I sighed. Maybe I was being too harsh on my mother...it was hard to let go...Riddick cleared his throat and I looked up.

"Here," I tossed the shirt away from me and to his chest. He eyed the white shirt with disdain and then proceeded to pull the dirty black one up over his head. I continued to dig through, trying to find a pair of pants that might fit his long legs, but all the pants were either too small or too short. I turned back to face him.

The top was a little tight but the white brought out his dark skin, helping it pulsate in the dim light. I nodded.

"Looks good. Black just looks so...morbid," I stepped toward him, touching the bottom hem of the shirt. I lazily made circles at the bottom, winding my way up his stomach, then his chest before I realized what I was doing. _NO TOUCHING_! flashed in my brain and I quickly pulled my hand away. But he stood still, not moving while I thought of an excuse.

"How many years were you in the Slam?" His voice hummed in my ears.

"10 years. But I started hacking when I was about 16...paid the bills," I sighed, walking past him and back into the den. He followed, his steps heavy on the carpet.

"10? And you didn't find a way outta there?" He seemed surprised. I shrugged.

"I tried, but I never got the hang of it."

"So, how'd you become a hacker but can't fool a stupid fuck with a big shotgun and no brains?" he crossed his arms across his chest, muscles bubbling up on his arms and chest.

"Hacking's not a genius' toy – I was desperate and my father used to work on old ship computers, so I stole a few to practice on. When I got better, I moved up. Got a job with the Republic and staged a massive hack. It turned the systems upside down and everyone was shitting themselves about a break in the Code," I explained, taking a seat on the couch.

"But you can't break the Code," he said firmly, sitting in the armchair across from me.

"But I didn't _break_ the Code," I corrected, "I just shifted it toward the people. But I got caught. Shove me in a min-Slam and the problems are gone, right?"

"Not if you kill a few people in the process."

"Who said I killed anyone other than that merc?" I was sitting up straight now, my eyes fierce.

"The kid told me what you blabbed to her in the canyon. I thought you'd gotten a few more heads from your finger, but I know mercs like to talk shit." His eyes narrowed at me as he spoke and I shook my head, completely speechless. I'm sure the kid hadn't meant to incriminate me but I knew she couldn't keep her mouth shut. "So how many you kill, including Johns?"

I sighed. "Nine. That I know of. Self-defense, Riddick. I was trying to get out and they shot at me, so I retaliated. Not _murdered_."

He suddenly bared his teeth and lunged for me, grabbing my shirt and shoving me on the couch. Veins bulged in his forehead and he ripped off his goggles, his eyes churning with hostility. His shiv flashed out of his pocket and he held it next to my head.

"Don't fuck with me like that, Kate. Who said I didn't save my ass when I cut those fucks up?" he barked in my face.

"What about your _sweet spot_? You sure as hell weren't too sparse on those details," I answered but his face remained creased and angry. We were tense and silent and he eased off of me, standing and taking in a deep, irate breath. He didn't budge as I got up and straightened my spine.

"I'm going to bed," I said firmly and walked toward my bedroom, shutting the door loudly.

- - -

"Kate?" I awoke groggily to her shadow above me and rubbed my eyes open. _7:30_? Sitting up, I squinted in her direction as she smiled. My mother was always perfect; smelling clean and looking pristine was her way of making me feel like a schmuck. I guess I failed as a daughter.

"Yeah?" I croaked, scratching the back of my head, but too late to stop myself from ripping some thread in my head wound. I groaned and she gently put a washcloth on the back of my head.

"I'm going to the market. Your friend is in the shower. Nearly scared the wits out of me when I got in last night...staring with those eyes..." she said and I got out of the bed, strolling over to my dresser. "Make sure you clean up before you go anywhere," she warned and I nodded, kissing her cheek and letting her out the door.

I stepped out into the den, bathed in warm sunlight and flopped down on the couch, leaning my head back. My eyes sank closed. _I had been in the middle of such a good dream_...A door shut loudly and I could feel the moisture in the air. A waft of rosemary filled my nose and a shower of water droplets covered my face, causing me to gasp and sit up.

"Don't do that!" I groaned, wiping my eyes and looking to Riddick, who seemed to be amused at his antic. Towel covering his crotch, he stood naked beside the couch, ready to pick up his clothes and change. I looked at him with disapproval.

"Do you like walking around bare-assed in my mother's apartment? Is that how you show respect?" I asked and he removed the towel, my eyes darting forward, not even the least bit eager to see what he was packing, if he still had it. I wasn't even remotely interested.

"I'd let your mother walk bare-assed in my apartment," he answered, sliding on shorts and the loaned tank top.

"Funny. You're a comedian now?" I scoffed, pushing myself off the couch. He shrugged, pulling his pants up and buttoning them. He grabbed his goggles and slipped them on, rotating his shoulders to stretch them out. "Where you off to?" I asked, crossing my arms and leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen.

"To get you a name." He crossed the den and opened the front door, stepping out into the sun. The door shut firmly and I sighed, going to sit at the kitchen table. After waking up with a large cup of coffee, I managed to find some of my father's old ship analogs and computers. I pulled them apart, spreading the pieces along the table and then examining each part. It took me a good chunk of the day to rebuild them, but they all began to hum with life when the last piece was connected. The last computer was halfway done, when a small piece of paper wafted on top of my greasy hands. A name, a number. I looked up.

"Took you a while," I ribbed but he cocked his head slightly.

"What's all this?" He motioned to the stuff on the table, sitting down.

"Got bored. My dad used to work on them. So I picked up the trade. But I'm a little bit more advanced than an old analog." I wiped my greasy hands down the front of the old pants and stood, going to the sink to rinse off my palms.

"That name will get you 2 mil creds tops. Is that enough?" I turned around, laughing.

"Yeah, sure." I shook the water off my hands "What do you want?"

"What do _I_ want?" He pointed to himself.

"Yeah. Anything."

"I want you to show me how the hell these computer things work," he turned back around the clump of computer parts, picking a few up and examining them.

"You sure?" I asked and he looked up at me. Through the goggles, his eyes caught the glare of the kitchen light and they flashed slightly. How did he do it?

I took his silence as consent and sat back down, cracking my knuckles.


	9. Hatred

**_(Disclaimer: If you've heard of it, it's not mine.)_**

**_(Letreen: Riddick? Half-naked? Do I mind? I think my logical answer would be a big fat "Hell NO". Followed by me clicking to your story and drooling.)_**

**_(QUICK A/N: How do I summarize this chapter? Oh right. SMUT. Just pure fluff and hatred. I WARNED YOU.)_**

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* * *

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"You're gonna to get an eye disease or something."

He didn't respond, his silver eyes still scanning the screen. His hands were clasped in front of his mouth as the images flashed against the screen. The memory-builder was humming, set on full-speed and I just stood there, staring at Riddick. I sighed. His brain was going to be _fried_. I reached for the SHUT DOWN button and his hand shot up, firmly holding my wrist and keeping me from turning off the machine. He just turned his head up and looked at me. Six months and the menacing look hadn't changed, but it still scared the little part of me that cowered at him. He let go and snapped his head back to the screen, eyes moving in rhythm with the flashes. I sighed, shrugging and went to go put my things back on the kitchen table.

"Ma?" I called but there was no answer. It wasn't 9 yet, so her shift hadn't begun.

"Riddick, did you see...?" But it was hopeless. His eyes had probably been glued to that damn screen all night, trying to decipher the configuration of different ships; with over 10,000 models in circulation, the more information you had on each one, the better chance you had at escaping.

"She left an hour ago. Goin' on about Mary and virgins." His head didn't even move from the screen.

_The church_. Ma had always been an avid repenter, though she only went when she really needed something to repent about. What was it this time?

"Maybe you should've gone with her, Riddick. Learn something about being nice to other people." It was just a tease but he didn't seem to think it was funny. He never thought anything was funny, except if it involved me being hurt. Yeah, he liked to laugh every time the umbrella clipped my finger as I tried to open it. If blood was drawn, it was a riot. I began to load the food synthesizer with packets of powdered food, trying to decide how much I should hydrate. It began to churn and smells of meat and potatoes wafted through the air and I went back to my things on the table. My job at the assembly line wasn't the best of jobs, but it paid some of our bills, mainly the alcohol and food bill. Ma disliked us drinking in the house, but she allowed it every time I gave her those eyes...the eyes I used when I was kid and wanted something really bad.

I extracted a bottle of wine when I felt a slight shift at the doorway. It was very small but I had learned to pick up on Riddick's movement. Enclosed spaces make you more aware of whom you're sharing them with.

"Here." I tossed him a small flask of whiskey and he grinned.

"Haven't had this since my first Slam." He popped the top off and took a large swallow, wiping the remainder from his lips.

"Thought so. Consider it a birthday present, because I know, deep down in your black heart, you miss celebrating some sort of holiday," I smiled.

He took another hit and tossed it back to me. "I don't miss it." I took a swipe from the bottle and set it back down, letting the liquid burn and slide down my throat. He walked closer as I put the wine in the fridge and as I stood up, his chest pressed against my back. His nose was close to me, smelling my hair.

"Did you take a bath this morning?" he asked, stepping away and going toward the steaming food synthesizer. I wrinkled my nose. Now he was just being mean.

"Did you?" I retorted but he was shoveling food onto his plate, ignoring me. I sighed and picked a plate up for myself, setting it firmly beside the synthesizer.

"Maybe you should bathe more often," he grunted, pushing into me as he headed for the table. What was keeping me from tossing this bastard out? He wasn't capable of regular interaction, the kind where you keep your big fat mouth shut and just nod like you're interested. I sighed, putting food on my plate and walking to sit across from him. We ate silently, him inhaling his food like a beggar and then standing to put it in the washer. Instead of disappearing into the den, he took his seat back and folded his arms across his chest. I stopped eating and he smiled. I put my fork down.

"What is so goddamn amusing about me? Am I entertaining you? Are you getting your fill?" I was pissed. Sick of his attitude, his remarks, his generally shitty face.

"Temper's not good," he answered, setting his elbows on the table.

"Is that it? I have a _temper_?" I retorted.

"Not good for a woman."

"What do you know about women?"

He smirked. Licking his lips, he sat back in his chair and tipped his chin up, thinking. "Touch 'em in the right spot and promise 'em the world and they spill their guts," he replied, "blood's a little sweeter, too. Like it better than a man's."

"And?" I was waiting. _Tell me something I don't know, Riddick_.

"And if they get a temper, they die quicker. Gotta toughen 'em up. But you're just one fat-assed stubborn woman. Turns me on sometimes."

"Well, I'm glad someone is at least getting hot off it," I smiled sarcastically, picking up my plate and taking it to the washer.

"Thing is, you gotta let a man get in some times. Not that I'm sayin' I'm your man, but a little pistol like yourself might make someone happy." And he was gone. Once again, leaving me feeling confused. I sniffed the air. I _did _smell bad.

- - -

The water came out slowly at first and then in a scalding blast, making my hand pull away. When the water was hot and steam began rising, I stripped off my greasy clothes and stepped in, letting my skin retract and then ease at the temperature. First over my shoulders and then through my hair the water flowed, washing away the dirt that came with being stuck in close quarters with grime flying through the air. I closed my eyes, letting my body grasp the feeling of the water.

Was I really that stubborn? It was a defense mechanism. Don't let anyone get close so they don't know me. Hell, even my mother barely knew me...Royston was probably the only person who had cared, in a sick, bad, twisted sort of way. Riddick was just an accessory; not a lover nor a brother to me. He wasn't worth risking my wall for. It had taken me a long time to let go of the trust that I had before getting in the Slam. As a kid, you trusted everyone you met. But in the Slam, you never met a person you could trust. Even those sworn to protect you fell away from promises. You didn't deserve to live if you couldn't keep a promise. Maybe that was the reason I had shot them.

"Thinking?" My eyes shot open. Complete darkness. It was like I hadn't even opened my lids. I still felt the steaming water hitting my skin, and a small blue line of light appeared on my stomach. Someone had opened the window, letting in the moonlight. I looked up, my heart thrashing against my chest. The shower curtain shifted slightly and I felt the vibrations of feet hitting the ground behind me. _A rapist, a crazy man, in my shower, ready to kill me...where the fuck was Riddick?...he's supposed to be the violent sociopath..._

A hand slipped across my stomach and I looked down. Long fingers, the nails dirty and worn, and rough fingertips, the skin darker than mine. The hand pressed against my stomach, pulling me back until my ass hit a hard thigh and my shoulder blades dug into a chest. The hand on my stomach traveled up, fingers spread and palm running between my breasts. Tears ran down my face. Helpless.

"Women. Touch 'em in the right spot..." A shiver ran through my body. I didn't need to see the face. The rough fingertips passed over my breasts, tracing the outer swells gently, tickling the bottom and then caressing the apex. My skin reacted harshly, everything tense and hard. The other thick hand was roaming down my hip, tracing over the bone indentation and heading for the perfect V formed by my legs. I leaned my head back and took in a breath, swallowing. The hand on my breasts moved to my throat and he traced my collarbone to my shoulder.

"Promise 'em the world..." he moaned in my ear and I gasped as he touched the point of my V. My knee lifted slightly and he took his advantage, slipping a finger deeper. The fingers on my neck pressed firmly on my pulse, my heartbeat getting faster. I was completely disoriented at his touch, dizzy and angry. Wasn't this just the man who had insulted my hygiene but now had a finger slipping inside me, pushing my buttons?

"Riddick." It was more a moan than the protest it was supposed to be.

"What? No fighting? I'm surprised, Baby." The finger between my legs slipped out and went back up to my hip. He gripped my waist and turned me around, my eyes searching for the two shining orbs. But just darkness. My head went back under the shower and my chin was tilted up. An open mouth and eager tongue found my lips, drawing in mouthfuls of water. I tried to keep up with the kiss, the tongue darting in and out of my mouth, but hot water filled my mouth. The kiss quickened, mouths melding into one and I gasped for a breath amidst the tongues and warm water. The large hands slid down to my ass, slowly tracing the roundness and then lifted me up. My back pressed against the tiling, foot resting on the side of the tub, his hands grasping me by the thighs. He took me slow at first, then sped up, his breath becoming more ragged as his movements quickened. But the angle was miraculous; nerves I never knew existed were ripped to shreds and my own voice was taken from me. Panting, sweaty, and strangely comfortable, he turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. I followed, not bothering to grab a towel. I didn't need one, as far as I was concerned. We were only going to stumble back into my bedroom for a second round.

The light beside the bed only heightened my senses. _Oh my God, his skin_...the color of coffee after you put in those little cream cups and mixed it up with your flimsy plastic straw. Steaming like coffee too. Water droplets began making trails in the crevices of his muscle and I sighed, lying down and stretching my body across the bed. He flexed slightly, the veins in his arms suddenly bulging from beneath the swollen muscle. I hated him immensely. But his body was making promises. Promises that might be broken, but seemed honest at this moment.

"I hate you," I whispered, my lips brushing his lightly. He didn't speak, but moved closer, hand outstretched.

"Lights off."


	10. Bandaged

_**(Disclaimer: Besides original characters, I don't own anything you hear in this story. Not getting paid for it either, which is a drag.)**_

**_(A/N: _LANGUAGE/VIOLENCE/SMUT ALERT_ again. Not for the kids. Not that you would be letting your children view this as bedtime story material ANYWAYS...)_**

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_You're shining still behind the clouds  
Saying I won't figure you out  
I like it true, but let me try  
And try and try for the rest of my life_

_I'm not scared of being alone  
I'm not scared of being alone, being alone._

_**Why should the fire die?**_

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_Wake up_. A whisper to my mind and my eyes shot open. The room even looked like sex. The pale yellow wallpaper gave off a thick hazy feeling as the peeking sunlight gently kissed it. Things were oddly placed on the dresser and the lamp in the corner had fallen down, lying unbroken but disoriented on the carpet. _Did we fuck on the dresser? _No, no. Just the bed. Quite a few times, too. _Were we drunk?_ I didn't feel light-headed.

I rolled onto my side and saw the broad back turned away from me, arms limply hanging at his sides. No doubt he was awake; he never really did sleep and if he dozed, the slightest movement woke him. My mother had found out the hard way, constantly coming in and finding two silver flashlights staring at her from the couch. The bed reeked of sweat and body fluids, the sheets sticking to my skin as I pushed myself up. No, it didn't smell like love. It smelled like ass. Just straight up body lusting. I swung my legs over the side of the bed and sighed. Putting on a robe, I quietly exited my bedroom and found that the kitchen light was on. I stepped inside and found my mother sitting at the table, the morning paper out, a cup of coffee steaming beside her. As I pulled a chair from the table, she put down the paper and smiled at me, taking in my appearance.

"So you finally slept with that man?" The blood drained from my face. _Did I really look THAT bad?_

"I, um, eh..." I stuttered and she just smiled, looking back at the paper.

"I see the way he looks at you. I'm just surprised you let him do that. I've never seen such bantering in my life..."

"Ma, please, just drop it. I'm not really in the mood."

"You two go at it like two cocks in a cage fight."

_WRONG choice of words, Ma._ Cock was the last word I wanted to hear. The front door suddenly slammed and my mother sighed.

"There he goes again."

I tried to take my mind off of the night before, doing everything outside of my bedroom. Shame I didn't have work, but being around men would've made my skin crawl. Especially the ones with toffee-colored skin and strong necks and a hard jaw. Riddick didn't come home until after my mother had left for her shift, quietly slipping into the front room. I was rearranging my clothes according to colors, which consisted of black, grey, tan, and green; a beautiful mix of exotic colors. There was a creak in the floorboards and I sighed. I felt weird in his presence.

"What?" It came out more hateful than I meant it. I sighed and he didn't move from the doorframe. I turned around to face him, taking a deep breath. His arms were firm beside him, fists clenched. Sorting something out in his head. "Listen, Riddick, I..."

He held up his hand, stopping me. "Temper, Kate."

I swallowed my retort. Best not to provoke him into a smart-ass word-off. He stepped a little closer and I put my hands on my hips, taking in a deep breath.

"You mad about how you might've enjoyed it?"

"No, I just think you could've asked me first..."

"Asked? And what would your answer be, huh?"

_Probably no_. I gritted my teeth. How did he constantly prove me wrong?

"And how many times has a man touched you like that?" His voice was low now. "Probably never thoughta you. Probably took what he wanted and left."

How men had there been?

_None. _

Zero. It was a cold number. I had just never been in love enough to let someone take me over like that. Sex required love (or a considerable amount of lust) and I had never felt that way about anyone. My teenage years were spent fighting with my parents and making up with them and not being allowed to go to school because of the system. I taught myself to read and add, and writing I picked up in the Slam, along with ragged old copies of Earth authors. My life was full of confinement, not enjoyment. So sex was a thing just out of my grasp.

"Well, you're the first."

"To what?" _Now_ he sounded concerned.

"Ever touch me. Like that. Or touch me, period." Just _another weakness Riddick would use against me._ Kate, the trash-talking prude.

"You serious?" He was stepping closer.

"Why would I lie? You'd find out sooner or later," I replied and he stopped. The room stood in silence and I waited for him to say something. Anything.

"You were in the Slam and never got jumped?"

"Nope," I shrugged, "but they tried. I just made the right friends."

He moved back into the shadows and I stood. I wasn't going to sit in this tension-fest any more. So we had sex. Big deal. Let's move on with our lives.

"I like you, Kate." His hand was touching my arm, sending chills up my body. I knew it was hard for Riddick to admit to liking anyone. Especially a woman. Women were weak in his eyes; we always lead to something bad. He spent a lot of time thinking about Carolyn and about the planet. Killing Royston was easy but watching Carolyn being ripped out of his arms was devastating. Riddick _had_ died on that planet. He died in Carolyn's arms. "I trust you," he whispered and moved a bit closer. I smiled. This was the Riddick I had been deprived of. The one who had smiled at me on the ship, asking to come wherever I was going.

"Why can't you always be like this?" I sighed, letting him gently trace his mouth over my neck and ear. He made a low sound and began pushing me toward the bed.

"I don't wanna fight about this anymore." My back was on the mangled sheets and he was taking off his goggles. "Lights 10 percent." They dimmed and his shirt was almost peeling off his body, followed by his pants. Slam underwear, if you ever got any, was thin and uncomfortable. And allowed anyone who wanted to see everything that was happening in your groin area. Not that it was bad at this very moment but it was distracting.

He stood there for what seemed like ages until I sat up. I tugged on the waistband of his underwear and his eyes snapped at my hands. The look in his eyes made me retract my fingers and I sighed.

"Thinking about Carolyn?"

"No," he snapped but he couldn't fool me. He didn't want to sleep with me, he wanted Carolyn. _FUCK!_

"Don't lie to me. I already know," I stood, "and I don't care. I understand..._she_ died in your arms, not me." But I cared. I cared too much. It tore at me that he would have me in a hot mess one minute and then take it back the next. But he was reentering the human race – emotions he had never felt were bubbling to the surface and things he thought he had control of were spiraling down. It was a vicious cycle being human and having feelings. Lust and love had boundaries. Death had consequences. "Hurts, doesn't it? Losing someone," I said flatly and his eyes narrowed. I began to walk away and he pulled my arm.

"How do you get rid of it?" His features gave a soft expression. A readable expression, not one that left you afraid or confused.

"You can't," I laughed, "it'll eat away at you slowly. But you move on. Hard at first, but you do it." But he wasn't buying it. He didn't trust me. What a stubborn asshole.

"Listen to me, Riddick," my voice growled and I stared hard at him, "stop denying what you're feeling. Don't think I can't see right through you. _You don't have to pretend with me!_ I'm not going to stab you in the back! I don't care if you were in love with her, just don't lead me on. If you need to talk, we'll talk. Just stop being such an asshole to yourself and to me!"

Quiet. He was running it through his head. He buttoned his pants slowly and looked up at me. "Talk with me, then." He motioned to the bed and I slowly walked to sit on the bed. He dragged a chair across from me and sat slowly. The lights were still dim but I didn't care. I needed to see his eyes, to see what he was thinking.

"I see her."

"Where?"

"Everywhere. In that damn ship plan system, everything. In you." His fists were clenched and he was looking at them.

"Well, how do you feel?"

"Fucking mad. I just wanna break everything."

"Mad at her?"

"No. At those fucking monsters. At me. Ripped her right outta..." He swiped at the air and then rested his head in his large hands. He was shaking, not crying, just shivering.

"You know, it's okay to feel like this. You don't have to hide it."

"And how the fuck would you know?"

"Because I've lost someone before. It hurts. Ain't gonna lie about that. Hurts so much you want to die. But then you realize they died so you could learn from it."

"Learn what? That I can't ever fucking feel anything without it being taken away? That I'm a fucking waste of breath?"

"But you're not! You are a _good person_, Riddick, when you want to be. You saved me and Jack and Imam and you deserve something for that. Jack loves you to death. Don't let her down! Don't let me down, Riddick."

"I was left in that damn trash bin, Kate. No one cared. A fucking baby..."

"And someone took you in, right? Cared for you? Until they fucked you up and sent you to the Slam?"

He looked up, eyes rimmed with tears. Real tears. Wet, glistening beads of salty water. "How did you..."

But he didn't finish his sentence. He just remained still. I stood and walked behind him, gently lifting him up by the shoulders. He flinched but complied, allowing me to place him on the bed. He laid down and I covered him up, like a child, and sat beside him.

"Don't beat yourself up too much over this, Riddick," I said and he turned away from me. I left without another word and shut the door firmly behind me.

_I'm just happier being confused  
Beside the fire, as long as it's with you_

I didn't really dream that night, tossing and turning on the couch. It was more of an off and on dozing. Interrupted by a shadow passing next to the window. I sat up slightly, heart pounding and looked around. There was definite shadow beside the front door window. I couldn't really move my legs but my body was screaming at me to run, hide, and escape.

The door broke open and all I saw were guns and lights. Bright lights, shining right in my face. The guns pressed against my back, my breasts, my head, and I couldn't move. Couldn't speak as they yelled, "Where is he? _Where is he_?"

I just shrugged. Shoulders up and shoulders down – a meaningless motion when guns are bruising your skin. I was cuffed, slapped, and pushed out of my home. They sacked the place, tossing pictures and clothes out of the windows as I was pulled away from the apartment. _Who could've known_? Imam, Jack, my mother...but none of them would ever want Riddick caught. Where the hell was Riddick anyways?

- - -

The mercs hit me. Kicked me. Beat me with a belt. I didn't want to talk...I couldn't betray Riddick. They knew I had killed Johns and that Riddick had killed Royston. So they beat me harder. Yelling "Fucking cunt!" and "Stupid bitch!" and scaring all of the tenants in the black alley. _No one came close enough to see the young woman writhing on the dirty ground, covered in blood and grit and smelling like rotten food_. My lips were split, my fingers broken, my hair pulled out, my ribs busted. I was scared and I cried for what seemed like ages until they all became quiet. Shots, more blood, but my eyes were swelling from the broken bones in my face. I was gasping for breath, gulping for air and the shouts of the mercs died down. Abandoned me to the elements. I tried to crawl but my arms were still cuffed behind me. I scooted myself across the ground, the rocks cutting my arms and my feet slipping. Suddenly, a body landed hard on top of me. A dead merc, blood oozing from a gaping slit in his neck. It covered my face, filled my mouth, and I coughed, horrified and scared. _Just let me die_. Hands gripped my arms and I yelped.

"No, stop, don't kill me," I sobbed and the hands gently pulled me up onto my feet. My ribs blazed with pain and I crumpled to the ground, my knees slamming into the pavement. I was picked up swiftly and thrown across a shoulder, my head hitting a brick wall. Blood trickled down my forehead and my mind began to slip.

Darkness.

- - -

Water. It burns!

My eyes tried to open but they were slits and my face ached. My whole body was numb, like the nerves were fried from so much hitting, scratching, and tearing. I was naked, in a bright bathroom, two pairs of big blue eyes staring back at me.

"Jack?" She had grown her hair out; it wasn't very long but now she was starting to gain her womanly appearance back.

"They told me to wash you up and make sure you didn't go into shock..." her voice was shaking and I took a deep breath. I moaned at the pain and noticed my torso was wrapped in bandages, blood patches dotting the gauze. My fingers were wrapped tightly, coated in black bruises and they were throbbing dully. My face seemed to hurt the least, but my eyes were hot and tender.

"Do you know what's all broken?"

"Yeah, your fingers and ribs and your face, but the Doc was able to laser your face. Everything else is just bruised really badly. Lost a lot of blood too, but the Doc did a transfusion so you're OK. You aren't gonna die..."

"Felt like it," I laughed lightly and she managed a smile. I could tell she was a little embarrassed to be sitting next to a naked woman in the bath. "Hey, so how's living with Imam? You been going to school?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "but they don't really talk to me. I'd rather be with you and Riddick..."

"I can't go back there anymore. They trashed the place. I'm sure they have my mother, too. Questioning her about Riddick..."

"Well, your mom ratted you out."

_What_?_ WHAT_!My heart stopped_. Why would she..._

Riddick. She was afraid of him. I'm sure she had heard of his record: murder, manslaughter, theft. He was the kind to kill you in your sleep. But Riddick wasn't _Riddick_ anymore.

"Why?" was all I could get out. Jack shrugged and gently played with the fraying end of the old rug.

"Well, who brought me here?"

"Riddick. Dropped you off then went to dig up some Doc he's known for a while. A good guy, the Doc – he fixed you up really well," she replied and stood. She held out her hands. "C'mon. You've been in there for a while." I glanced at my fingers and they had pruned. I shakily lifted myself up from the tub, slipping and sliding, and Jack helped me into underwear and a robe. She turned off the light and helped me hobble into the kitchen, where Imam stood, leaning over the stove. He turned around and smiled, helping Jack scoot me into a chair.

"They were not merciful," Imam murmured, checking my cuts and bruises. Jack began to eat and I glanced at the food in front of me. A mush, tan and brown, and my stomach lurched. I didn't think my stomach could hold anything down. I'm sure my organs were all still in shock from the beating.

"I can't eat." My voice was empty.

"Well, then, you must sleep." Imam stood and gently lifted me up, leading me to a back bedroom. The bed was warm, deep. I closed my eyes and began to drift.

Then, dreams. They were beating me again, Johns' and Royston's faces peppered on each merc, the anger fueling their kicks. I didn't cry this time; I just laid there. My heart began to race and my eyes flew open.

He stood beside the window, looking out. His silver eyes scanned the streets below and then swiftly came back to me. He didn't speak and I laid back down, letting out a slow breath and trying not to disturb my healing bones. I was scared. _Scared?_

He came slowly to the bed, fingers strained and moving, like he was trying to play the piano at his sides. I expected him to be angry at me. Angry because of my mother. But it wasn't like I ratted him out to the mercs. We both had a bounty but his was considerably larger. I'm sure I garnered the same amount dead or alive. Talk about favoritism...

He slowly lifted the side of my robe to look at my bandaged torso and then lower to examine the bruises. He silently rolled my fingers through his, inspecting the broken appendages and gauging their recovery. A swift gesture to my head and he tilted it quickly, strolling along the laser lines and swollen patches. After a quiet overall examination, he sat still, hands resting on his knees.

"Thanks," I said dryly and he looked up at my face. "For the alley..." I added and he swallowed.

"Why'd she do it?" His voice was dry, ragged. I'm sure he hadn't slept in a few days.

I shrugged. "I don't know. She didn't like you." But it wasn't the answer he wanted.

"Mercs had a bounty for you, too," he grunted, "She shoulda known that."

"My mother doesn't do anything rationally. I'm sure she was thinking they'd tell her before they ransacked the place, but obviously, they didn't extend the courtesy." I lifted myself up so I wasn't slouching. Everything ached, everything burned, everything was sweating. His hands flinched slightly and I knew he wanted to help me, but it wasn't like him. He expected to be chastised for helping someone. I sighed.

"You don't have to sit there. Help me, Riddick," I said firmly. With my permission, he slowly repositioned my arms and adjusted the pillows. His hands softly brushed the sides of my breasts, drawing goose bumps on my chest and the rest of my exposed skin. _Shit._ I really didn't want this to happen. He tried my tender ribs, seeing how much they hurt. His thumbs landed on my lower stomach and I tilted back, gritting my teeth, trying to contain my urge while I was disabled. _Disabled_. What a title.

But what continued surprised me.

He kissed the spot where his thumbs had been. It was a quick, dry, decisive kiss and drew a sharp breath from my mouth. But the next kiss was longer and down lower. My legs almost fell open and I did my best to try to bring them back together, but failed, the bruises too sore for any voluntary muscle action. He had to know this was going to happen, because his next kiss was extremely past the line of propriety.

"Don't move. Hurts even more if you do." His breath was right at the hotbed of a large pooling of blood. Hot, fiery, angry blood that begged to be fucked.

_Fucked_? I wasn't sure I was in the condition for it.

"Fuck, Kate," he breathed, "Relax. Been on my knees for only one girl. You." It wasn't as if I had any underwear on. He was breathing right on me, between my legs, centimeters away from my pulse and the only barrier was a flimsy weave of cheap cotton, probably picked by a broken machine in the Tangiers...Oh.

_OH_.

A kiss right ON THE FUCKING SPOT! I'm losing my mind. I'm going to explode from anger and confusion and pleasure all at once...

"Baby, relax. Let me do something for you. Pay you back for all those nasty things I said." His voice was warning, like a parent. What the hell. Just do it. Enjoy it.

"You're gonna be down there a while if you want to say your sorry."

"I ain't apologizing. Just want to see a smile on that pretty face of yours."

"Still gonna take you a while."

His hands swept my underwear down and his mouth was there.

It shot through me like a bolt and I gasped, straining my neck down so I could watch him. I wanted to say something but my voice groaned and gasped, my gasps turning into sounds that were high-pitched.

"Found it..."

But I didn't even get to ask what he found.

And I crashed. Melted down. I didn't scream out but my heart was screaming at me. I was numb and feeling at the same time. Every part of me shook and I watched his head slowly rise. He gently wiped his mouth, his lips red and slightly wet, moisture lingering on his chin. But he mopped that up too.

"Feel better?" he asked, gently lifting himself from the bed and neatly covering my throbbing privates with the sheets.

"Yes," I squeaked. He crawled up, hands on both sides of my body and I flinched as he approached my face.

"Sleep." It was a command. I shut my eyes and waited. He was still breathing slowly on top of me and I tried not to move as he climbed off. And he was gone.

Confused and alone. Again.


	11. Skin

**_Same disclaimer as the first 10 chapters. Don't own _Pitch Black_ or its characters._**

**_(A/N: Hit with the ol' writer's block. If it's slow, I'm sorry. Finals suck. You know, I used to be cool with school, until it decided to bite me in the ass.)_**

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"Ain't gonna help you up this time."

"Riiiidiiiick," I whined, tossing my head back dramatically and pounding my fists on the arms of the chair.

"Stop crying. Get your ass up and walk over here." He stood, holding his arms out, like I was a toddler just learning how to walk. But I was a 20-something-year-old woman trying to learn how to adjust my weight on my newly healed ribs. It had been a few weeks since the merc attack, but my fingers still weren't in working order. My face was back to normal, though my smile was crooked in places. They had to cut some of my hair and it now fell a few inches below my ears, but it was long enough to tuck behind my ear. I missed pulling it back when it got too hot, but that was impossible now - No working fingers and not enough hair. I had been carried around a lot, mostly by Riddick and sometimes by Imam when Riddick was out. It was a small but wonderful luxury and I found that Jack had sometimes insisted that Imam carry her, too. He couldn't say no to her.

Jack was blooming, growing, and learning. She loved having some sort of a family (though we were kind of a sad version of the Huxtables) and actually enjoyed being a girl. Though she was still rebellious in some aspects of her new life.

"Riddick, please? Today is a Bad day," I sighed but his arms crossed his chest. Body language for _Yeah-fucking-right, you liar_. This was getting irritating. I was really going to have to lift myself up and waddle over to Riddick, who was going to rip me a new one if I fell.

_If _I fell.

Slowly, I gripped the sides of the chair and used my palms to lift my body up, straining against the pain. My knees locked and I limped slowly across the floor, the pain spearing through my torso.

"C'mon," Riddick said firmly, watching me struggle and I growled, taking smaller steps as the pain brought tears. Breathing was difficult and my hands shook. I couldn't hold myself up anymore. I began to collapse and his hands roughly caught me by the pits, jerking me upward before I fell on my face.

"Shoulda let you fall," he muttered and I took a deep breath.

"Then you should forget about this..." My hand was cupping his crotch firmly and he lifted his chin with my movement. He had lost the "annoying" habit of wearing underwear under those stretchy cargo pants. Not that _I_ was complaining about it.

"Not so hard," he whispered and I eased up, smiling. The kitchen door opened and I quickly drew my hand away, putting it behind my back.

"You two should try to go to bed. Miss Murphy, the Doctor is coming to check up on you tomorrow," Imam sighed, rubbing his eyes and I nodded. He turned to Riddick. "Mr. Riddick, I hope that you will see her to bed?"

Riddick smiled, and then looked at me. "Gladly."

He lifted me up and hoisted me over his shoulder. Routine. I managed to give Imam a quick smile and kiss on the cheek before I was carried into the bedroom. He flung me on the bed, my head hitting the mattress hard.

"Getting harder to carry," Riddick huffed, his breathing labored and I smirked.

"Maybe you're just losing your touch."

"Yeah, it's you. And that huge ass," he retorted, "you need to stop feeding it. Could get really big and then I ain't carryin' you."

I sat up and held out my hands for the nightclothes that were bundled up in the chair in the corner. He tossed them to me and I stood slowly, aching and groaning. I took off my normal clothes, slowly unbuttoning my pants with the last strength I had and flinging them off into the darkness. I yanked my shirt off, tossing it over in the general direction my pants had flown. I didn't really care at this point; everything burned and hurt. He slid behind me, gently steadying my hips and sat on the bed. I sighed and turned around.

"You know, there are better ways to cop a feel."

"You always gotta complain?" He looked up and his goggles flashed against the lamp light.

"Yes."

"Weren't complainin' last night, Kate." His grin was enough to make me smile sarcastically and laugh it off.

"Because I wasn't tired last night." I stretched and he removed his goggles, squinting against the bright light. "Lights off," I yawned and they shut off, his eyes opening wide. Ignoring the clothes I had gotten, Riddick lifted me up and onto the top of the bed. My forearms rested gently against my exposed breasts, trying to warm them and do a bit of concealing. We had progressed to the title of "fooling around", of which we did a lot. Some nights I'd find a hand stuck down the front of my underwear and his deep, raspy whispering voice in my ear, saying things that would make a prostitute blush. He loved having that power over me and I wasn't going to bitch about it; it was just as enjoyable to have his full attention on me and what I wanted at that moment.

His head suddenly snapped up. A siren began wailing and we both sat up. "Get your clothes," he growled and I obeyed wordlessly, snatching a shirt and pants. He exited the bedroom and I tried to get things together. Something was happening, something was wrong. I snatched up a bag filled with random clothes and went out into the living room, where Imam and Jack were huddled on the couch. Jack was bawling, her eyes and cheeks glistening. Riddick was looking out of the window, muscles flexed violently.

"I'm going to pack some food," I said quietly and drug myself into the kitchen, tossing all the edible foods into the bag and slinging it over my shoulder.

"Kate, let's go now!" Riddick swiftly snatched up the back of my pants pulled me along, food crashing to the kitchen floor. Imam was shielding Jack, and Riddick was following them, dragging me with him.

He hoisted me up on his shoulder and I bounced along as we broke through another door. We clamored down the back steps and pushed open the back door. Electricity hanging in the air prickled the hairs on my neck and we rushed to an alcove, ducking into the shadows. There was something coming down the alley, breathing hard. A shadow. Riddick quickly flashed out into the alley and I froze, against the wall. There was a long groan and a heavy thump and Riddick came back, standing above our shaking bodies.

He jerked me up by the hand and dragged me into the alleyway. Blood streamed down the cracks of the pavement and I saw a body. Then two large feet and a large suit. A face looked out through a purple lens and my heart was ready to burst from fear. I began to step back but Riddick stopped me.

"It's a lenser," I managed and he stepped around me. The lensing creature stood erect and didn't move as Riddick passed around it and picked up a small box. He pressed a few buttons and tossed it to me. Blood was spattered on the buttons and I cleaned off the tiny screen with my palm. It was a control panel, connected to this thing, possibly monitoring the surroundings...

Riddick cut the main wire from the lenser and pulled me back to where Imam and Jack were hiding. A troop of men came marching down the alley, dressed in armor and helmets and stepped around the lenser.

"He's just been cut. The wounds look fresh." They surveyed the soldier whose throat had been sliced by Riddick and the wire that had connected the monstrous lenser to the black console I held now.

"Search the premises!" another soldier bellowed and the rest began scurrying. Riddick stood, running along the buildings. Jack and Imam followed, and I tried to stand but my fingers and ribs ached.

"Riddick," I called out and he turned around, halfway down the alley. He sped toward me right as a soldier grabbed my arm.

"Stay right there," the soldier growled at Riddick and I felt like I was going to wet myself. Riddick stood straight and I watched his hand slowly snake around his waist, fingering his shiv. "Let's go," he yanked me and Riddick flinched.

"Don't touch her." Riddick's voice boomed and the soldier didn't ease up.

"What's wrong with your hands?" The soldier grabbed my wrists and my bandaged fingers throbbed.

"They're broken..." I replied and he yanked them hard. I cried out and he smiled.

"Let's go now," the soldier growled and more soldiers approached us, grabbing Riddick's arms. Riddick slowly cracked his neck and looked at the soldier who was dragging me now.

"_Don't _touch her." Riddick's voice was booming again and he was angry. The veins were thumping on his forehead and the soldier didn't ease up on me. He had now jerked me on my feet, and I tried to walk but I was stumbling badly.

"Walk, bitch," the soldier yelled and I tried, but each step was painful. He pushed me and I looked at Riddick. He was mad; fists clenched, shiv hidden in one of his palms and a small line of blood dripped across his knuckles from the pressure. "Walk!" the soldier bellowed and shoved me hard.

Two hard swipes and the soldiers who held Riddick's arms were on the ground, necks sliced from ear to ear. He charged toward the one who stood near me and grabbed his throat. "I told you not to touch her," Riddick growled and the solider flailed in Riddick's grasp.

I noticed the soldier's slight hand gesture before I could say anything. And Riddick toppled to the ground, electricity coursing through his body from the small tazer. The soldier regained his breath and I froze on my feet. He swiftly kicked Riddick in the side, a crack resounding in the air. _A gun in the back of his pants_. But my hands wouldn't move. He continued to batter Riddick, kicking his back and sides and Riddick didn't move, brain probably still in shock from the surge of electricity.

"Stop." The gun was pressed at the back of the soldier's head and he stood slowly, hands up. I dug it into his head until he had stepped away from Riddick. I noticed a slight shift in the shadows on the wall and I turned around to find two more soldiers behind me, guns drawn.

My mind raced with the instinct. I pulled the trigger twice and they crumpled to the ground. Turning to the soldier behind me, I pulled it again and watched him stagger until he fell on top of his comrades.

_No guilt. No time_. Riddick was struggling to stand and I saw Imam and Jack emerge from the shadows, running over. Imam slowly helped Riddick onto his feet and Jack took my hand. I dropped the gun and she slowly rubbed my hand, pulling me along. We all hobbled along the alleyways and heard shouting. Probably finding all the bodies we had disposed of. Sirens began again and I was nauseous. _What was happening? We hadn't seen anyone and now these soldiers were roaming the alleys, using lensers..._

"The temple," Imam whispered, "we will take a ship to the temple. We shall be safe there."

- - -

"The back is empty. Make yourselves warm." Imam thanked the priest and we weaved in between the huddled families. It was cold and had started to rain, leaving the wetness to seep through the cracks of the walls. We found blankets and took a place in a corner, next to a large fire. Imam set Riddick against the wall and the big man groaned.

"I'll get him. You take Jack." I motioned toward the girl and Imam nodded, crawling over to her pallid and shivering figure, blankets wrapped tightly around her body. I turned back to Riddick, whose body was shivering slightly.

"Anything hurt?" I asked and he looked at me. He motioned slightly to his side and I lifted his shirt up. It was a deep purple and a swollen lump protruded from his ribs. "Lay down," I murmured and he obeyed, slowly lying down on a blanket. The shirt was removed and I looked at the wound.

"Doesn't look broken, but a tendon might have broken." His reached his hand down but I smacked it away. "Don't touch it!" I warned but he reached again. I grabbed his wrists and pressed them above his head. "Don't move. I'll tie them down if you can't keep them off." He smiled and I let go of his hands. I leaned in closer to examine the spot and a hand slipped into view.

"Imam, hand me that rope." He tossed it over and I bound Riddick's wrists together angrily.

"I told you to stop!" I looked at him but he just smiled.

"Didn't know you were this kinky," he laughed and I rolled my eyes.

"I'll kink your face in if you don't shut up." I slowly began to tear a shirt apart to bandage his torso. Riddick didn't fight against the bonds, only using his free thumbs to peel off his goggles. I began to wrap the shirt up his waist and he lifted off the ground, letting my hands ease under his back. I knotted it firmly and he laid back down, sighing.

"You gonna get this off now?" he motioned to his wrist restraints and I smirked.

"No," I replied, folding his shirt and tossing it near the fire. I stood and limped over to where a priest was helping a young woman with a small child. "Do you have any food or water?" I said quietly and the old man looked up.

"Water is beside the entrance. We have no food," he replied and turned back to the mother and infant. I thanked him and went to the entrance to gather a jug of water. I carried it in the crook of my arm, my fingers useless, and set it down between Imam and me. Imam poured clear water into Jack's mouth and then sipped it himself. He handed it back to me and I set it in Riddick's hands. He gulped it hungrily, Adam's apple working vigorously up and down.

"Hey, save some for me," I warned and he set it down, pushing it slowly toward me. I began to untie his wrists and he smirked, rotating his hands to move the blood around. "Help me," I said and he gently picked up the jug. I drank as he tipped the jug upwards and I then pulled away, swallowing. I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand and Riddick reached for the free hand, examining it slowly. The bandages were fraying and dirty, soaked with rain.

Riddick slowly stood, wincing slightly and walked across the floor to the same priest I had approached. They both disappeared behind a pillar and I leaned against the wall.

"Food?" I looked up at the small woman, dressed in robes, who extended a basket toward me. I took the small piece of bread without question, thanking her and trying to figure out how I was going to eat it with no mobile fingers. Riddick appeared beside the woman, who flinched when she saw him standing there. Instead of offering him the basket, she hid it with her hand and walked away toward Imam and Jack. Riddick watched the woman then turned his eyes to me.

He held a square of white cloth in his hand, gently fingering the edge. He sat in front of me and I eyed the cloth. What was he doing?

He took my hand and began to rip the old bandages off. It was painful and my fingers were a nasty green color, still slightly swollen from the healing. Riddick slowly dipped his hand in the water jug and began to sprinkle the water lightly over my knuckles. The water rolled down my fingers and he tenderly stroked each one, washing the dirt and dried blood from the cuts.

I didn't say anything, just smiled. He tore small strips from the cloth and bound my fingers, two by two, together, not too tight and not too loose. After each finger was clean and dressed in new bandages, he held them for a minute.

"Thank you." He didn't move his head in acknowledgement, but set my hands down softly on my crossed knees. He scooted back into a corner and rested his back against the wall. The bread was still in my hand and I looked at it. She didn't offer him any because he looked dirty, ragged, like a poor criminal. And with his bronze skin, the woman probably thought of him as a Mix; there were still race issues lingering in the air and Riddick was the worst of the worst: a child of mixed races. Purity was a status in New Mecca. I wasn't without critics – as a child, I was teased for having blonde hair and green eyes, an unmistakable sign of mixing among the white cultures. While most girls had beautiful blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes, I was stuck with freckles and awful buck teeth.

Some habits had never died among humans.

Riddick's eyes were closed and I tossed the bread to him. I didn't need it. I had been waited on hand and foot back at Imam's and now God was kicking my ass for it. Food just didn't seem important.

His eyes shot open as the bread hit his chest and he caught it as it slid down his chest. He examined it, as if it were a bomb, and then looked at me. I smiled as best as I could, scooting myself to his corner.

"She shouldn't have done that," I whispered and he looked back down at the bread in his fingers. One hand reached for my chin, tilting it up, down, and turned it to each side.

"You're mixed white. Why'd she give one to you?"

"Because my skin isn't as dark as yours," I whispered and he exhaled sharply. This was one thing he didn't really understand. In Slam, the alpha dog was on top, no matter what his skin color was or who his parents were.

But not in the real world.

"Riddick," I said quietly, "the ones who matter don't care about what color your skin is."

"Do you?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

He didn't answer and I knew that, for once, I had won. I smiled slightly, basking in the glow of my achievement. He settled and began pulling the bread apart.

"Here." He placed a piece in my hand and I gave it back.

"You need it more than I do," I sighed and he didn't question me. He took the pieces and swallowed them in one gulp, wiping his mouth. I grabbed a blanket and wrapped myself in it, shuddering, and laying my head on the wall behind me. Fingers touched my chin and he kissed me, making me gasp. He pulled me close and the kiss turned into a hug, his arms pressing my body against his.

His heart thumped loudly and quickly, making the large vein in his neck thump warmly against my mouth. My head slid to his chest and I fell asleep to the rhythm on his heart against his ribs.

****

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**_I can't see my reflection in the waters  
I can't speak the sounds that show no pain  
I can't hear the echo of my footsteps  
Or remember the sound of my own name._**

****

**_  
_**

****

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	12. Omega

**Disclaimer: See Chaps. 1-11**

_**(A/N: Finals over. Writer's block over. Could I ask for anything better?)**_

_**

* * *

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"_Katherine E. Murphy. Omega 4720B. Turn to your right, sweetheart." _

…_Turned to my right and the light flashed hard. Palms sweating and knees shaking, the chill of the holding cell still clinging to my perspiring body. Dread hung low in the air, so low I could smell it everywhere. A cop, can't remember which one, grabbed my arm and pulled me out of that small room and back into the tunnel. Women and men stood with me, not saying anything but looking sick. I still had those bright freckles and a mess of frizzy hair…just a kid, they used to say. Just a kid. I laughed. Kid who still had some fire left. That was before I knew what malnourishment could do to rosy cheeks and a balls-to-the-wall attitude. Thought I was hot shit when they threw me in that pit with that other girl who looked more scared than I had been. _

"_What's your name?" _

"_Jherice. You?"_

"_Kate. What'd you do?"_

"_Hit my boyfriend. 'Cause he was a dick. You?"_

"_Jacked a few comps. Why the fuck are you here? If you killed the bastard, I'd understand." _

"_Bloke can hit me but I can't hit him back. Shame, ain't it?"_

"_You're tellin' me."_

_Jherice had been a little schoolgirl, pigtails and all. Thought she was cute, too. Got me hooked on morphine but I kicked the habit when I broke out and headed for Zion. And when Johns had started dry-hacking in the middle of that fucking planet, it wasn't from a bad piece of meat. Never thought I'd see any more of Tangiers until I was tied up in the Hunter-Gratzner, heading for the horizon. Not until now._

"I'll get you a ship, Riddick."

He tilted his head and placed his hands behind his back. "Ain't gonna stop you. I'll blend in right here."

_Ha_. Stuck out like a sore thumb, with that skin on black and goggles glued firmly to his eyes. At least Jack and Imam looked like the rest of New Mecca: confused and dirty. The ship yards were a mess this morning, people yelling and tearing for a legit ship to get their family off on. Each one was probably booked, but a look wasn't going to hurt anyone. I propped myself up on my makeshift crutch and walked over to the nearest window. The man standing behind it grimaced as I approached.

"Help ya?"

"Yeah, I need four tickets to the Ianua Sys, planet 8." He fiddled around for a moment on the computer and shrugged.

"All filled, baby."

"You sure about that?"

The man laughed, and then crossed his arms across his chest. "Doll, if it was up to me, I'd keep ya all on this damn planet. Ain't nothin' but a Necro scare."

I shook my head, disbelieving. "You're just bullshitting yourself. Necros don't scare anymore. Ask a Furyan." I paused, then shrugged, "Oh, right, guess you can't. They're all rotting on the bottom of God's ass. Thanks for nothing." I walked away, shaking my head. Civilians.

"Well?" Jack's big, eager eyes made my heart sink. I looked at them all and Riddick frowned.

"She didn't get anything." Riddick had a way of bringing down the demeanor when it wasn't possible to go any lower. I scowled at him.

"I'll think of something, Jack. Just sit tight." Eye roll behind goggles. I turned angrily to Riddick. "How much do _you_ weigh, Riddick?"

No response would be necessary. They all knew what that insult meant…it was a little below the belt, but he deserved it for that grand pessimism.

"Omega?"

The voice made the hair on the back of my neck stand on in. _Deep, husky, British clip_. I turned around to see her large teeth flashing my direction. She stepped closer and I fully turned my body on the crutch. She still wore those stupid pigtails, the braids flawless and tied off with tiny ribbons. Her hair had grayed and thinned, but the pigtails still held up. But she was still a hype – her pupils were the size of sand granules. She called me Omega, because of our differing classes. She was a Gamma, mildly violent prisoner - female, while I was an Omega, electronically violent – female. If there was such a thing as being "electronically violent".

She looked me over and then glanced at the three behind me. "What the hell happened to you?"

"Got in a scuffle," I stuttered, too surprised to steady my voice, "w-when'd you get out?"

"Ah, good behavior. After you left, food started to taste shitty and the bloke with the big dick found another lady. So they let me out," she replied, hands on her hips.

"Better than me." Her eyes lingered on Riddick, who was looking at her sternly. "Hey," her eyes snapped back at my voice, "you know how to get off this rock?"

"Where you goin', O?"

"Ianua 8. They said it filled up but I know a slick Brit like yourself can help a girl out."

She grinned genuinely. "Only for a girl like you, Miss Kate. Ianua 8 is nice – beaches and all that rubbish. Follow me." We obeyed, trailing behind her tall frame through the throng of refugees. She headed for a side port and I saw a small ship docked up. She hit a button on the side and the door popped open. "Here ya go. Sleeping with the captain so he won't ask any questions. Make yourself comfortable."

I swore her eyes lingered on Riddick. But the door closed before I could make sure.

- - -

"What'd you do after you climbed over the Wall?" I swallowed the lump of food in my mouth and all eyes looked up at me. Why'd she have to ask?

"Well, I stuffed myself on a ship and took it to Zion. Almost had a place to stay before my Merc kicked the shit outta me and cuffed me. Loaded me on a passenger ship headed back to Tangiers and we crashed on T2."

"Ouch," Jherice turned to the rest of them, "You all on that ship?"

They nodded and she smiled, extending her hand to them all. "Jherice Law. Cell 54A, Tangiers, Gamma 9374C." I rolled my eyes. Jack shook her hand lightly, whispering, "Jack" and Imam copied her motion, adding "el-Imam". Riddick didn't make a move and she turned to him, wetting her lips.

A beast growled in my chest. I smothered it.

"And you are?" Her eyes twinkled. Riddick set down his fork.

"Richard B. Riddick. Cells 76V, 49U, 09X, 66W, 18Y. Hubble Bay, Ribald, Tangiers, Ursa Luna, and Butcher Bay. Alpha 6666D." His tone was firm but Jherice just smiled.

"Bad boy. Murder, is it?"

Riddick said nothing, just turned back to his food. Her eyes swept down his form and I snorted, looking at my own pile of food. _He wouldn't be that stupid, Jherry. Don't throw yourself at him_. I picked up my plate.

"I'm going to sit in the hatch. Let my food digest."

Jack shot up from her seat. "Can I come?" I smiled.

"C'mon. We'll make a party out of it." She quickly followed me, holding my arm so I could hobble through the kitchen and dispose of the dirty plates. We climbed up to the passenger hatch and took some seats in front of the ship's window, watching Helion Prime disappear into the black sky. Jack drew her knees up to her chest and then looked at me.

"How do you know her?"

I sighed. "She was my cellmate at Tangiers."

"She looks a lot older than you."

"She is."

"What'd she do to get into the Slam?"

I looked at Jack. "Why are you asking so many questions about her?"

The girl shrugged, "I just thought it was a little weird she just popped up out of nowhere." I had to agree. It was a little strange. We sat there for a few moments, just staring into the ink black of space. I had never really noticed it until I escaped Slam – freedom. The will to go and do whatever you pleased not be thrashed for it. Life was much better outside the concrete walls.

"Do you miss your mom, Kate?" Jack's face was glowing from the stars outside the window.

"Yeah," I answered, "a lot."

"I wish…" Jack began but she ducked her head under her arm to hide the tears. I put a mangled hand on her shoulder. If this kid had no one, I'd at least try to be something to someone. Anyhow, I was going to protect her, like I had on the planet. That promise was until we parted ways.

"I wish I hadn't yelled at her." Tears were flooding down her face and she quickly wiped them away with a dirty finger, leaving smudges on under her eyes. "She was trying to help but I was so stupid…"

"Your mother?"

"No, my sister," Jack gasped through her sobbing, "my parents died when I was little. My sister and I went to live by ourselves but she kept doing all these things and I yelled…" _Poor thing_.

She cried hard and loud into my shirt and I winced as the sobs turned painful. Her body was convulsing and I tried to hold her still. I couldn't let go. It would be fatal. Her cries turning into weeping, and then to hiccups, and finally to sleep. I scooted her out of the hatch and managed to hoist her up into my arms. I shuffled into the small eating compartment and found Imam, eyes closed, whispering prayers. I asked him to take her and he slipped her from my arms, carting her body toward the nearest bed. It was quiet and I glanced around. No Riddick. No Jherice.

_My life was complete_. I slumped into the bed next to the slumbering Jack and closed my eyes, falling asleep to her hooked breaths.

- - -

"Just a few more weeks." Imam and Jack were peering over my shoulder, looking at the small computer screen that had popped up. Computer ships were easy; simple to hack and even more effortless to read.

"You remember how to shut it down?" I turned to Jack and she wiggled in beside me, fingers ready to perform her first hack. She nervously tapped the wires and pressed buttons and Imam's eyes widened. I smiled as the computer went black and the lights turned off.

"Beautiful," I laughed, "maybe I should let you do this from now on." The girl's smile glowed in the starlight as I crawled out of the hatch, Imam holding my arm. Breakfast wafted through and into our noses.

When we appeared in the eating area, Jherice was already sitting, fork to her mouth and a load of corn pudding spilling out of her cheeks. Her pigtails were askew and her eyes were sagging, dark circles underneath. _Rough night?_ I couldn't hold back the smirk. The beast growled again, though this time it was longer.

"Where's Riddick?" Jack looked around and I shrugged, sitting down and removing my fork from it's plastic wrap. Jherice's eyes were glued to me as I ate and I looked up.

"You sleep well?"

She sneered lightly. But a smile painted on her face and she replied, "Not exactly." I went back to my pudding. The rest of the meal was silent, forks making tiny noises on the plastic plates and scraping echoing in the small room. Jherice quickly threw her things away and climbed the stairs to the captain's quarters, shutting the door loudly. I smiled. After breakfast, Imam laid down for a quick nap and Jack and I redressed my wounds. My fingers were gaining mobility and my need for walking was eating at me. These ribs needed to heal themselves so I wouldn't be so useless. After my fingers and torso were bound, I retreated back to my sleeping quarters.

"Where'd you sneak off to last night?" My voice echoed in the shadows but I knew he was there. _Getting better at this whole "sensing" thing_. His body emerged and his eyes caught the tiny light that glowed in the corner. He stepped forward but I stepped away.

"You slept with her," I replied, "I can smell her on you. I'm not stupid, Riddick."

"Didn't say you were." He tried another step but I moved away. I wasn't mad just disgusted. But this was Riddick…and I thought he had a conscience.

"You think I'm a fool, right?" I looked up, "You think you can walk all over us? I got you this ride and you thank me by sleeping with the one person who knows more shit about me than my own mother." I paused. "Then again, I think I might thank you because now at least she won't toss us out into God-knows-where. That's the thing about us women, right? Say the right thing, touch the right place? Isn't that what you said?" I removed my shirt and reached for a new one in the sealed bag above the bed. His fingers gently touched my arm and slid down, tracing the flexed muscles in my bicep and over my shoulder.

"Are you done yet?" I grabbed the shirt and yanked it on. I didn't want him to touch me, smell me, look at me, anything. I began to walk out and then turned around. "When we land, I don't want you near Jack. Just leave us alone." His knuckles cracked and his teeth gritted. _Fuckin' glad he's angry...isn't my fault_.

Richard B. Riddick needed a dose of his own medicine.

I closed the bedroom door and walked back out to where Jack and Imam were sitting, each positioned on opposite ends of the room. Jack was enthralled by the computer catalog, fingers running over the pictures. Imam was praying again. I plopped next to Jack and leaned my head back.

"Kate." I looked up. Jherice was standing there, leaning against the stairs. She motioned for me to join her in the adjoining room and I stood, walking into the room. She shut the door and glared at me. Here we go again.

"What the fuck is your problem?" She was baring her teeth. _Like a dog_.

"What problem?" I crossed my arms.

"Looking at me like you bloody well know me."

"Don't play those games," I clicked my tongue at her, "you did it at Tangiers and I know the cycle."

"Oh, fuck off, Kate. You just don't have the balls to say it."

"Say what?"

"That you want that Riddick guy. I saw you making daggers at me yesterday. But I fucked him anyways."

I growled. "What haven't you fucked, Jherice?" She grinned. She had accomplished her goal – I was agitated. But the grin turned into a frown as something ran through her mind. She looked me over and walked right in front of me.

"Just so you know," she said lowly, "he said your name."

"What?"

She swallowed. "When he came last night, he screamed your name. I punch his fucking face for it too. But he gave me some of these." She pulled down her coat to reveal a large pool of bruises at the base of her throat. _In the shape of a large hand_.

She pushed past me. "Next time, he won't live to say anything." And she was gone.

I laughed.

_Richard B. Riddick. Cells 76V, 49U, 09X, 66W, 18Y. Hubble Bay, Ribald, Tangiers, Ursa Luna, and Butcher Bay. Alpha 6666D._


	13. Cute

**Disclaimer: Same as first 12 chaps. I own only my creativeness (which means original characters and places, etc.) **

**A/N: I am _supposed_ to be in New Orleans right now but my cousin had back surgery and I had to help her…it was pretty painful for her. Don't lift heavy objects! **

**Anyways, ENJOY, and the next chap should be up tomorrow or the next day. **

**HAPPY 2006!**

- - -

The fight with Jherice was the last thing I wanted on my mind. I emerged from the room feeling defeated, like I had expected to win this fight but got KO'd. Jherice had retreated back up to her captain's quarters, leaving the rest of us down in the pit to ourselves. I sat back down beside Imam and sighed.

"How are you feeling?" his voice was deep and smooth and I smiled, shrugging.

"A little down, but I knew it was going to happen."

"What was going to happen?"

I sighed. "They slept together." Imam arched an eyebrow, not exactly surprised. "Yeah, I ain't surprised either," I added, kicking off my shoes and picking up one of the catalogs Jack had been absent-mindedly flipping through. I opened it and began reading, admiring the brand-new computing systems. They were getting nicer, faster, and a hell of a lot smaller. A door opened and I looked up. Riddick slipped through the area and then went to the food chamber, opening it quickly.

"Are you going to speak with him?" Imam whispered and I didn't even look up.

"Already did." I flipped a page.

"Why don't you try again?"

"Nope." Another page.

"Come off it, holy man," Riddick spoke up, "she's being a bitch. Let her bleed it out for a while and then we can have a real _heart-to-heart_."

"What the hell would you know about a heart-to-heart? The only thing you seem to understand is dick-to-pussy." I didn't even miss a word in the paragraph I was reading about processors.

His grip cracked the flimsy plastic of the door of the eating unit. "Sweetheart, you're takin' this too personally. You think you're the only chick?"

"Oh no," I laughed, "I don't get jealous. You ain't gonna see me get green over my old cellmate. You can try, but it won't work."

He turned around. Yeah, I was still afraid of him. But I wasn't going to put up with bullshit I knew how to treat. He was great in bed and I'd miss it bad, but I had other things to consider. Like keeping my ass out of Slam and away from those rogue mercs.

"You scared that she mighta pleased me more than you could?" He tilted his head, a menacing smirk crawling across his lips.

I shrugged. "Not really. I'm not that good, anyways." I turned another page in the catalog and almost predicted his movement before he made it. I moved the catalog to the side before he could snatch it away from my face. I smiled and looked at Imam, "See? I'm getting better at it..."

Imam forced a smile and then slid off the couch. _Yes, best to leave us alone to duke it out. Might turn bloody_. Riddick didn't watch him leave but kept his eyes on me. Even behind those goggles, I knew part of him was burning with rage.

"You'd do best just to stay out of my fucking way." His tone was signature pissed Riddick and I swallowed. Scared, but I wasn't giving in. I hated the way Riddick thought he could predict things before they happened. Last I had checked, it didn't say '_psychic_ sociopath' on that psychiatry report.

"You know, I thought you were better than her," I replied, wetting my lips, "I thought you knew her signals before she even pushed them your way." He came slightly into the light as I spoke, and I could see the welt near his eye. She'd socked him good.

I continued, "She does that to people. Did it to me so I'd sell myself for just a hit of morphine. I'd let myself be fondled and prodded by these sex-deprived lesbians just for a shot up the carotid. And she made me believe I could trust her. So, after I kicked the hype, I played along, so that after I got out of Slam and was in a tight spot, she'd remember how much a profit I got for her. I play her like a fucking trumpet, Riddick – she just doesn't know." I paused to let it all sink in. That big fucking skull of his had to have a brain.

"Maybe I'm playin' her too," he replied, licking his lips, "maybe I'm playin' you both."

"If you were playing me, I'd be crawling on the floor for you. Most of the time I would, but not for this girl. I may be naïve and weak, but I'm not _stupid_."

He leaned in closely, his nose almost touching mine. "Never said you were stupid, Kate."

"Remember you aren't the only one reeling from a lack of conscience from being in Slam," I whispered back and he moved his head slightly, inspecting my face. It was dead quiet and he looked my face over, like he was trying to find something. I sat still, letting him do this routine.

He sniffed. "It's gone."

"What?" I answered dryly.

He sniffed again. "That fear smell." He grinned. "Kinda cute."

"Don't call me cute." I turned my head away from him and he stood up.

"You still not want me to touch Jack after we get offa this thing?"

"Yes. She's mine. You're not gonna hurt her."

"She was both of ours on that planet. You forget?"

"Well, you're a lousy parent, Riddick. I hope you never have children."

"Me either."

I crossed my arms across my chest. "Lemme ask you a question."

"I think we've talked too much right now. How about you save that thought for later when I'm not so fuckin' tired from you runnin' your mouth."

"Fine." I scooted myself off the couch and he walked out, heading for the hatch.

- - -

"Wanna play?" Jack held up a pack of playing cards as I pulled a fresh pair of pants on. I shook my head.

"I'm not very good."

She frowned, "Please? Riddick's playing."

"He's gonna cheat, you know."

"So? He won't if we're on the same team." Her smile was eating at my heart. I rolled my eyes.

"Okay. Deal me in." She ran out and I sighed. Cards and I did not mix well; I rarely ever won, even with a severe advantage, and then I just squeaked past. I folded my dirty pants and exited the bed chamber, walking out into the brightly lit compartment and seeing 4 people positioned around the table: Jack and Jherice, Riddick and another man I assumed was the captain.

"Where's Imam?" I asked, taking a seat beside Jack and Jherice looked up from her hands.

"Said somethin' about Lord not wantin' him to do it," she replied and I nodded. Our eyes met and then broke as the captain dealt the cards. He wasn't an ugly man, more of a boy actually, blonde curls framing his face and bright blue eyes. A cigarette hung from his lips and he looked at me before setting down the cards, and then turned his eyes toward his hand. I glanced at the hand Jack and I had been dealt. Fluff cards, every single one. We'd have to bluff.

Jherice and her captain tossed in their money chips, Riddick followed with a raise in the betting. I motioned for Jack to match the bet and she obeyed, tossing the right amount on top of Riddick's.

"You gotta cute kid there," Jherice grinned at Jack and then looked back at me, "you pop her out?"

"Yeah," I replied and Jherice cocked an eyebrow.

"Ain't you a little young to be nursing a kid, Kate? Didn't see any scars on your stomach in Slam."

"There's other ways to have a kid without them having to cut it out of you," I cleared my throat, "I was young and stupid." Jack didn't say anything and I was pretty sure Riddick was laughing behind those stupid goggles of his. But I was protecting Jack, not trying to make myself look better in some asshole's eyes. There would be pissing contests later for that.

The next few rounds were slow. We won a few, lost a lot, and the whole table was silent through the whole thing. Jack dozed off and I carted her to bed, her sleepy protests having no effect on me. As I pulled the covers to her chin, she yanked my arm.

"Why'd you say I was yours?"

I smiled. "Because you'll fare better being my kid then some runaway with a couple of convicts on a ship with a hype and her captain."

"Like you protect me?"

"Yeah, kid. I made a promise a long time ago to take care of you."

Her brow creased in confusion, "When?"

"Remember when Riddick figured you out? We decided to cover you. He hasn't really held up his end of the bargain but I plan to stand by mine. Now, you sleep and come get me when you wake up in the morning." She rolled over at my words and I stood, clicking out the light and walking out of the bunk. The rest of the group was still huddled around the table, cards in hand and I took my seat again.

"Your turn," Jherice said and I looked at my cards. I made the bet and then looked up. Cards shifted and Jherice cleared her throat, "You wanna talk about last night?"

"Last night?" I feigned interest, looking back at my cards, "Oh, you mean how you fucked everything in Creation and then lived to tell about it?"

"I thought you were my pal, Kate," she smiled, "when'd you become such a little cunt?"

"Sweetheart, I've always been a cunt. I just need a reason to be one." A sugar smile and she was biting her lip.

"You need a hit?" she extracted a morphine gun, liquid dripping from the end.

"I quit that shit," I answered, crossing my arms across my chest. Jherice grinned, flashing all her pearly teeth.

"Remember the last time? Begging for a hit...I gave you to that old one..."

"Yeah. She didn't have the teeth. I remember," I cut in, "and I remember the way she slapped me around. And as she fucked me with her mouth, I figured my way out of there. And look at me now."

"You forgettin' I could call a merc ship?" she was threatening me now. But like Riddick had said: The fear smell was gone.

"And why not do it? They'd probably give you the freedom papers on the spot for me and Riddick."

"Why not just you? Riddick could come in handy."

I laughed. "Why not? Seems to be the pattern of my life: treated really nice until someone decides to screw me over. Hell, my own mother did it to me so I don't expect anything better from someone like you."

She gritted her teeth and put a knife on the table. I set down my cards and eyed the blade, then her deep-set blue eyes. "I don't any guns around here, Kate. How'd they teach you to handle a knife?" she asked quietly.

"Can't say I learned. Got out of Tangiers before anyone had the chance to make me use one."

She grasped the knife and quickly pressed the blade under my chin. "I don't know what the fuck happened after you climbed the Wall, but all I know is that they beat the _shit_ outta me. Prices went down and I got cut up a lot worse than you did by Roy." She pressed it harder and my heart was trucking, trying to burst from my ribcage. "I can kill the kid. Or maybe the Chrislam. But I'd rather see your dead ass swimming out above I-8 and I'll make sure no one comes to your sad-ass funeral," she spat, "because you fucked up, Kate. You forgot about me, you forgot about the Slam, you forgot about trust." I tucked my hands under my folded arms and took a deep breath.

Jherice's eyes didn't change their malice as another blade slipped quietly into view and right next to her throbbing vein. The captain cocked his shot gun painfully and Riddick tilted his head, pressing the sharp end of the shiv next to Jherice's neck.

"What the fuck are you doing?" she gritted through clenched teeth and Riddick looked at the captain. He froze, finger on trigger. He turned back to Jherice and answered her.

"Makin' you think twice before you fuck up again." He tilted his head to the other side. "Put that toy away. You ain't even holding it right."

"Fuck off." Sweat was beginning to form at her hairline. The shiv pressed harder.

"Think real hard before you say anything. You know anything about me?"

She rolled her eyes. "You killed a few mercs, big fucking deal."

"That way a thinkin'll get you killed. Body floatin' somewhere over I-8...isn't that what she said, Kate?" I couldn't hold back a smile. Jherice's eyes came to mine.

"You weren't even a good fuck once, Kate."

"I don't like girls, Jherry. Of course I'm a bad fuck."

Her eyes turned from me to Riddick, who's grip hadn't changed. She suddenly relaxed and Riddick allowed her to push his shiv down. Eyes on the knife she held at my neck, she leaned in close to Riddick, teasing his lips open with her tongue. He opened his mouth and offered his tongue back, meeting in the middle and mouths melding together as one. Riddick's hand crept to her breast and he kneaded it firmly then wiggled his fingers up to her neck.

In a swift move, she was tossed on her back and Riddick's boot crushing her chest. She gasped for air and the captain kid stood up, but was stalled by the point of Riddick's second warning shiv on the side of his nose. He flopped back into the chair and Riddick turned to the woman pinned under his foot. He leaned down slowly and swiped her cheek with the shiv, leaving a small cut to bleed on her cheek. She gasped, holding it and Riddick bent down low, grabbing her cheeks and making her pucker.

"I been in Slam longer than you been lickin' cunts. Don't fuck with me. You stay away from the kid and holy man and we got a deal." He let her face go. "And don't ever pull the kissin' shit. If it happens again, I'm gonna give you a second hole to screw with." He let her go and quickly sheathed his weapon.

It was my cue to leave. I put the cards down and stood, loudly scooting the chair back and slamming it against the table. I walked into the empty bunk and shut the door. I shivered. I had almost died but where was the adrenaline?

I shook again. No use in trying to figure out something I didn't understand immediately. I started to undress and the door to the bunk shut quietly again. I hugged my shirt to my bare chest and turned around.

"You're a fuckin' contradiction, bitch. I don't know why the fuck I still like you." Riddick removed his goggles and set them on the opposite bunk. "Had me fooled with the whole big-doe-eyed shit then I find out you were fuckin' girls to get some morphine. Real cute, Kate."

"Don't call me cute."

He stepped closer and peeled off his shirt, chest raised and inches from my covered breasts and face. I tried to slow my breathing but I could tell it was causing his skin to break out in goose bumps and his chest to start puckering. _Was I really turning him on? Could it be possible?_ I raised my eyes to his and began to bat my eyelashes, making sure they were glazed over enough to seem turned on; I didn't really need to fake that – just watching him fluster was making me all hot and bothered in the right places.

"I know other things you can call me, but cute isn't one." My voice was low and hot breath blew over his collarbone and left pectoral. He swallowed quickly. I titled my head, mimicking him, and slowly wrapped my hand around his waist. Fingers traced over the tiny dimples in his lower back, over the point of his hip and then back around to the bottom of his stomach. Something pushed against my palm and I looked down.

"I guess I owe you for saving my life," I looked back up at his eyes and he wet his lips. My fingers slid from the bottom of his stomach to the growing heated erection between his legs and he growled. I squeezed slightly and gauged his face for a reaction.

"Turns you on when we fight, doesn't it?" Another soft squeeze and even more heat. "Makes you so angry you wanna chain me to the bed and fuck me senseless...I'd be lying if I said it didn't get me hot too." He made a sound low in his stomach. He was aching now; it pushed against my hand incessantly but I pushed right back. "What do you want? Gentleman's choice."

"Sweetheart, you know what I want." His fingers were under my jaw and he tilted my head up. I smiled.

"I'm not very good. Not had much practice."

"Won't make you swallow." He paused. "_This time_."

I grinned, slowly lowering myself on my knees and undoing his pants.

- - -

"Did you really say my name?"

He took a long breath, still reeling from the orgasm. Everything was still wet, stuffy, and blissful, our bodies lying under the sheet and trying to adjust to the cool air that was hitting us for the first time in hours.

"What the fuck are you talking about?" he said, his voice strained.

"Don't play dumb," I sat up, turning to him, "you know what I mean."

"Ain't playin' dumb, I just don't know what the fuck you're talkin' about," he sat up , swinging his legs over the side of the bunk.

"With Jherice."

"Oh, that shit? Got confused. Had my eyes closed. Guess I was thinkin' about the last girl I had screwed which was you."

"Thanks," I replied sarcastically, "that really makes me feel better."

"See you're not workin' on that temper."

"Fuck you and your view of women. I happen to be attached to my temper."

"Kinda cute too."

"_Don't_ call me cute." But he grinned anyway.

"Want me to call you something else?"

"Like what?"

"Fat-Ass."

I rolled my eyes. "You already wore that one out on the planet. Try again."

"Cry Baby."

"Now you're just being an asshole."

"How about I just call you over like a dog? You know, pat the leg and whistle. Kinda like that one too."

"I'm not your bitch."

"Yeah, you are."

"Then you're my bitch."

"I can't be your bitch, Kate. It doesn't work like that."

"Who gave you a place to live? Fed you? Screwed you? Kept you from being found out? Got you this ship?"

"Who kept you from being beaten to dog food in that fuckin' alley?"

"_One_ thing you did for me, while the list keeps growing on things you owe me."

"I ain't your bitch, Kate."

I smiled. "You don't have to be my bitch, I just want you to stop being such an asshole sometimes. Like if Jack is crying or scared, that is _not_ the time to be an unbelievable shit head."

"Fuck your damn rules. I'll be an asshole whenever I want."

"And I'll be a whining bitch all the goddamn time. Can't have your cake and eat it too, Riddick." I climbed off of the bunk and began to redress, pulling my hair back. Riddick watched then put his goggles back on, reclining naked on my bunk.

"Where you goin'?"

"Hack."

He laughed. "Into what? Ship ain't got shit."

"But the Intergalactic Network does."

"How the fuck did you break into that?"

"I could tell you but I'd have to kill you."

He smiled. I liked it when we joked around. It was Riddick's way of after-sex cuddling or the way he patted you on the back. No physical contact, but verbal prodding and poking. I looked at him.

"You wanna learn my secret?"

"Nope." He crossed his ankles. "Gonna sit in that hatch and figure out how far we are."

"Whatever."


	14. Me

**A/N: Sooooo...I lied. I got caught up in packing my things and trying to do last-minute best friend lunch stuff...I miss them a WHOLE BUNCH! College is back in session, which means new classes and more work. I'm very proud of this chapter so enjoy it!**

**ALSO, I want to thank everyone who reviews on every chapter! I try to read at least one fic that each reviewer has written...it's only fair, ya know. **

**OH and I checked on the movie "Hackers"...the main character isn't named Kate Murphy but she is a Kate. Kate Murphy is just a name I liked...I don't watch LOST as religiously as I did, but I do need to give props to THAT Kate for giving me a little bit of inspiration for this character. **

**ANOTHER THING: Elements of TCoR in this chap. I have to say that the last time I saw TCoR, it was 10:30 at night and I had been working 8 hours at the movie theater with no break and one slushy (and you can't have just ONE slushy...). It was either TCoR or that Bobby Jones movie with the guy from Passion of the Christ. You make the choice...**

**Okay, fin with chatting and ENJOY!**

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"Who the fuck is that?"

I lifted my head back from the numbers I was banging in on the ship computer and looked over at the captain. His curly blonde head was still, big blue eyes set on the radar. Jherice and the Cap'n had allowed me up to the cockpit, despite our near-death skirmish a month before. Unhappily, they allowed me to help them weave in and out of the star systems, monitoring the vitals and making sure no viruses nor extraneous radars were sneaking into the mainframe. Riddick stayed tucked away, watching activity from the hatch and Jack and Imam busied themselves with their own projects; Jack ordered a knitting set from the NetVid and was busily knitting away at her first blanket. I thought it was cute but Riddick just scoffed it off as "chick shit" and went about being his usual asshole self.

"What the fuck..." the captain repeated, his breath coming in gasps and I checked the vitals. Normal and running.

"Wh..." I began but he turned swiftly to Jherice.

"Get the big ones. We gotta merc ship."

Merc ship? They didn't patrol this system...they didn't have the time or money. _Except if it was for a large bounty_. Jherice came back into the cockpit carrying a few large barreled guns and set them down.

"What you got on yours?" The captain looked at me.

"Nothing. Vitals steady and no tracing bugs."

"How'd these fuckers find us?" He turned back to the main screen and unbuckled his restraints, then pulled a few levers. The ship shifted hard and I followed, unclipping my belts and standing up. He went over to the pile of guns, picked one up and tossed it to me.

"Take it down to the bottom. Strap into one of the autos and start firin' at the motherfuckers. Gun's only if they try and board this fuckin' beast."

I strapped the gun on my back and climbed down the stairs. Jack, Imam, and Riddick sat silently in the living area and they all looked up as I hurriedly lowered myself into a compartment. As I began to close the door, my wrist was yanked up hard. Face to face with a pair of black goggles.

"We got a merc ship. Didn't bug our system and stayed off the radar. Make sure they're okay."

He squeezed tighter. "Been on our ass since New Mecca."

"How did..."

"Saw 'em being lazy and they drifted to the side. Looks like a big squad. Those 20 mils won't make a dent."

"Every ship's got a weak spot, Riddick." He released me and leaned down low.

"We ain't got enough firepower," he whispered, "might as well put the handcuffs on right now and lay down."

"I know but we gotta fight, don't we?"

"They're gonna put the kid in Slam."

"She's got me. I know the nooks and crannies of Slam...let me take care of it, Riddick." For a minute I thought Riddick was going to fling me up and finish the job downstairs, but he let go of my wrist and stood. I had _permission_?

I closed the cellar door and climbed into the seat where the large artillery gun was rigged. I strapped myself in and put on the goggles. Riddick was right – it was enormous, bigger than any merc ship I had ever seen in my life.

"You see the bugger?" Jherice climbed in, buckling and then cocking the gun.

"Yeah," I replied, "53 degrees, North, East. Bearing's kinda hard to shoot at but they gotta drift sometime."

And they did. Jherice's gun began to send round after round, shots blasting through space and then burying in the side of the merc ship. It jerked and I waited. Jherice kept drilling bullets out and I told her to stop.

"Why?" she yelled.

"Because you'll lose all your ammo quick. Then I'll have to use all mine."

"Fuck your logic, Omega," she yelled, putting a few more pits in the side of the large vessel.

Suddenly, orange sparks peppered the side of our skiff and I could see the shells hit the floor beside our pods. They were retaliating. And getting closer.

I sent off a few rounds and the sparks stopped from the right side of ship, where a few dozen of my shots had landed. _One down_. Jherice was quickly drilling the bullets from the gun and I stopped firing. Her rounds were getting low. She stopped, looked for refills and there was a sudden rocking motion that shook the whole ship. The mercs had launched a hook and it was now embedded in the cockpit above, a large metal chain attached to a pulley on the deck of the merc ship. Like fish, we were being reeled in.

"I'm outta this fuckin' place!" Jherice quickly ripped her belt and fled upstairs.

"GET THE FUCK BACK DOWN HERE, JHERRY! _JHERRY_!" I screamed and hundreds of shells hit again, now rolling beneath my feet. My hands shook on the gun but I gripped it, sending off a load more rounds. Two, three, four pods went black and I took a deep breath. A few more rounds and five more pods died down and I tried to reload but there were no extra rounds. _Fuckers!_ I quickly unbuckled myself and grabbed my gun. There was forceful jerk on the skiff and I tumbled back down, slamming my head at the bottom.

Shit, shit, shit! I checked the back of my head for blood, but there was none. A big welt maybe, but no blood. I sat up and climbed back up the staircase, listening. Hard feet and then a few barking orders. The feet stilled and I heard screaming.

"There he is! Sanders! Look..." _THUMP_. A body.

"TURN THE FUCK AR..." and then another hard _THUMP_. Riddick's body count was now two but mine was ten, unconfirmed, but I had shoved a few hundred bullets in their pods. They HAD to be dead.

It was silent and I cautiously put my hand on the hatch door. Lifting it up slowly and only a slit, I peered into the cabin. Jack and Imam were on their knees and Jack was crying hard, her little dirty hands palms down on the ground. Imam's eyes were closed, his lips moving slightly. Behind them stood two very clean mercs, semi-autos tucked under each armpit. They didn't look familiar. I switched my eyes to the mercs beside them. Jherice was also on her knees but I didn't see the captain. Blood stained her legs, streaking down her thighs. _Captain's dead_, _probably got trigger happy_.

A crowd of tall, bulky mercs stood around one person and I strained my neck to see who it was. Riddick was also kneeling, hands bound and resting lightly on his crotch. The merc behind him held a large bit around his neck like a collar and it was pulled taut, like a collar. His face was blank and dotted with blood droplets. _Aterial spurt_. A pair of heavy feet padded into the cabin and I ducked back under.

"She ain't in the passenger galley or cockpit." The deep voice paused. "You're already fucked for life, Riddick." There was another pause and I heard Jack whimper. The feet moved again and I lifted the hatch again, just a tiny slit and saw a tall merc in front of Riddick, a long dagger unsheathed and close to Riddick's throat.

"You wanna die for this bitch?" The sharp end of the blade traced along his collarbone and to his shoulder. "Where is she, Riddick?"

Riddick spat in his face and the merc wiped it off silently, smiling. Riddick let out a growl as the blade dug deeply into his chest, blood rapidly spurting from the deep wound and I felt the bile rise in my throat. It was too deep, the cut...

Another wail came from Jack and a merc was holding her up by hair as she cried over Riddick. My blood was boiling. I closed the hatch and checked my ammo. Enough for one clear shot. I could clear them all out, piece of cake..._right_?

The hatch door opened ever so slightly again for the barrel of my gun and chaos was erupting. Riddick clasping his bleeding arm, Jack wailing for Riddick, Imam begging them to let go of Jack's hair. The merc only pulled harder and then butted Jack in the back with his gun.

I cocked my gun back.

A single shot and I slid my gun back quickly into the hatch. I heard the merc's body flop down and Jack collapsed, the hold of her hair gone and a bleeding merc beside her.

"Where the fuck did that come from?" they all said simultaneously and I suddenly heard the wheel of the hatch turning. I cocked my gun back again. The door flung open and I shot the poor bastard who opened it. Stepping out I shot the next one and then turned it to the tall merc.

_Holy Mary mother of God_.

"Kate." His sideburns were still just as fucking ugly and his smile was still as revolting.

"No, you..." I began, cocking my gun back again. I was gonna shoot the bastard like I should have done so many years ago...

I heard the simultaneous cocking of semi's and Toombs held up his hand, stopping their shots. "You still look good, Kate."

"I'll shoot you in the goddamn head, Toombs, I swear to God, I will." I was shaking, gun quivering back and forth under my grip. This guy had to be old. Hell, I'd beat his face in with my fists. It'd be more fun.

"Is that the way to treat an old friend?"

I threw the gun down. "I'll kick your fucking face in..."

He smiled and laughed, "Don't play games you ain't gonna win, Kate. You're still that same hyped up little girl..."

My fist almost landed on his mouth, but his heel caught the backs of my knees and brought me down hard on my back. The welt that had already formed earlier was now throbbing with pain and Toombs' boots straddled my torso. "Kate," he grinned, "why Riddick?"

"Fuck you Toombs," I groaned and he looked at the now bandaged Riddick, who kneeled tensely. He was _pissed_.

"What?" Toombs looked down at me, "C'mon, Kate, I know you got bad taste but Riddick?" he leaned down close, lowering his voice, "He ain't even your color."

Another swift kick and now Toombs was on his back and my knees were straddling his body. Guns pointed quickly at me and Toombs held up his hand. _Didn't want to kill his money_.

"I'll kill you," I said, "don't think I wouldn't hesitate, even with this kid in here." He looked into my eyes hard. "But you let them all go and I'll come with you."

"You shittin' me?"

"Nope."

"Little bitch, do you know how much Riddick's worth? His filthy ass brings me twice as much as you."

"Toombs, you'll get money with me. But you wanna be alive, don't you?"

"I'll shoot you in the fucking head, Katie. Ain't got no guilty conscience about that."

"They all go or you die a poor man."

He paused. His eyes were trained behind me. _Shit_...My head jerked back and I was on my back again, a merc's boot on my chest. Now the spot on the back of my head had to be bleeding. Toombs crouched over me and grabbed my chin forcefully, dragging my head down to his face. His hot breath spread across my mouth and cheeks and he grinned.

"I'm takin' you all." He looked at them all and then eyes came back to me. "You're goin' to a special place." I was flipped over, cuffed, and shoved into a small pod with Riddick. Our knees touched as the ship jerked to a start and Riddick lifted his chin.

"Sorry," I managed and he shrugged.

"Matter a time, that's all. Shoulda stayed under that hatch then we wouldn't all be headed for Crematoria."

I swallowed. If I owned Hell and Crematoria, I'd rent out Crematoria and live in Hell. I tilted my head, "How'd you know we're going there?"

"Pays the most for us. And the kid and Imam? They'll just be collateral."

"How much?"

"If he's smart, he'll get 150 thou for me and about 10 for you."

I frowned. "I thought I was worth more."

"Sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart." He brought his hands down, the chains lacking any tautness and he set them in his lap. I lowered my hands as well, resting them at my sides. He held his hand out and motioned to my head, "Lemme see your head."

I felt the back of my head and blood had dried and matted my hair. I bent my head forward and his hand reached around, feeling the bump. I lifted up my head and he gently pressed his fingers against the wound.

"Clotted nice." His hand gently ran down to my neck and pulled me up close to his face. His knees quickly trapped my upper thighs and my chest thrusted toward his. His other shackled hand slowly traced behind my thigh and around my ass, giving it a hard squeeze and then slipping between my legs.

I sucked in a sharp breath. "You like me all tied up, Riddick?"

He grinned, teeth shining. "Like you more with your panties off and mouth closed." He leaned in and ran his lips over the slope of my jaw and then to the point of my chin, caressing my bottom lip with his upper. The bristles of his lack of shaving drew chills up my spine and right to my breasts. The hand between my legs moved in deliberate circles over the top of my clit, slowly bringing fire to the chills that coursed through me. He was mindfucking again, using our imprisonment to his advantage. _What a control freak_.

"You think you got me all figured out?" I gasped through the intervals of the thumb making waves in my body. I pushed involuntarily against his thumb and he pressed harder. _Stupid, skullfucking mind games!_

"Pretty much." He was now watching the reaction of my body to his finger, probably thinking he was the shit because I was chained up, turned on, and still pissed.

"I don't think you do."

He cocked an eyebrow, "You don't?" His hand was still going and I pulled my hands toward his head, wanting to push against his shoulders to get my thighs from his knee lock. Another second and my arms were jerked back, the chains snapping stiffly and I squeezed my fists. Riddick just smiled and slid his hand from between my legs. It slipped underneath my shirt and pushed aside the second tank top, stroking each sensitive nub at the peak of my breasts. My skin went into waves of a prickling sensation and I tried my best not to cock my head back and sigh.

I tried to make a sensible sentence amidst the groping. "What do you see in me?"

He cocked his other eyebrow, signaling that he didn't fully understand my question. I tried again. "Why do you stay? Why don't you just go and flaunt your bloody escapades on your own ship in another system?"

"You don't want me?" His fingers passed over each breast, trying to tease them into an even more painful arousal.

"No..." I mumbled, "It's just that you always seem like the kind of guy who needs no strings attached."

"I am."

"Then why do you stay?"

"Maybe because I like to bang you."

"Eat shit. But tell me the truth."

He paused and slipped his hand from my breasts to my stomach. My heart leapt. I was about to be treated to a special episode of Riddick's Secrets: Don't Tell Anyone Because You Might End Up With A Mutilated Corpse. He was silent and then looked up.

"There are two kinds of people in Slam: Me and Them. Me takes care of Me and Me alone. Them likes to bullshit Me and pull stunts that makes Them end up in the Med or in a box, headed for the edge of the Galaxy. I ain't met a lot of Me."

I was confused. "So am I Me or Them?"

"Just shut up and let me finish." I obeyed and he continued. "So, when you told me you were in Slam, I thought you were a Them. Scared, stupid, and blind. But I see you take out Johns and I reconsider. Maybe you're a Me. Just with all that emotional crap and a pussy."

"So, what you're saying is that I am a Me, which is you, only different?" Thoroughly confusing.

"Yeah."

"Wow. That's deep." Riddick withdrew his hand and pushed me back on my bench. The door to our prison suddenly opened and Toombs stood there, a smile on his face.

"Ready, pups?"

I rolled my eyes and he glanced at me, and then his eyes shot to my breasts.

"You cold, Kate?"

I looked down. Obviously my breasts hadn't gotten the memo from the rest of my body. I was still excited from where Riddick had felt me up and I blushed.

Toombs licked his lips. "They're gonna like you two in Crematoria."


End file.
